Blooming amongst assassination
by caruso2951
Summary: Struggling to take control of her family's company, Weiss is set upon a number of assassination attempts; prompting her old team to come to her defense. Can old grievances be forgiven and can a red-cloaked huntress save her former partner. Whiterose and Bumblebee
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **I want to first apologize for my long absence but a recent string of health and family issues has not made things too easy for me. I am not abandoning the other two stories and I am working on them; this fic was just written as a means to get back into writing and I have a number of chapters finished; though I will only release them every couple of days. If you guys want me to continue then please leave reviews. This is a Whiterose fic as well as a Bumblebee one though other pairings will be shown.**

He watched her as she left the train.

After finding out where she was due to depart, the man had taken a faster means in order to lie in waiting once she had arrived.

Given who his target was, the assassin was surprised that the young woman was not better protected; especially with what was going on. While he wasn't into much politics or even cared about the business world in general, the target was just about the most talked-about person in all of Atlas right now. With her status, it would have been expected that she would have been surrounded by a team of bodyguards though she was more than capable of handling anyone on her own. After all, this was an individual who was a trained Huntress as well as a war hero if one believed the stories about all that went down four years ago. He couldn't tell if it was a belief in her skill that the target chose not to walk around with an escort or that she was simply arrogant; that not being surprising given her family name. It was well known that the entire family was arrogant and prideful; which was why they were hated as much as they were admired.

Following her, he could see the rapier at her side and while he was confident that he might be able to take her by surprise in a fight, the assassin knew he couldn't risk it. It was also risky given that there was too few people on the street right now, being so close to evening, thus it would be hard to escape via his usual method; blending into the crowds. It was always hard to operate in Atlas, more so after the conclusion of the Great Grimm War, because of all the surveillance that the Kingdom was now under. His usual theatre of operations was usually in Mantel but work was starting to dry up now that the upper class were no longer shooting eachother in secret; even the gangs were playing nice nowadays. When he was contacted with the contract, he had no choice but to jump on it even though he was a bit apprehensive; especially once he found out who he was hired to kill. Word was that a previous attempt had failed a week ago and the one who carried out that attack was dead because of it; executed by the client from what the rumors said.

It took him three days to come up with a plan to take out the target without risking his own life as well as his identity; having to rely on more dubious methods. Unlike other assassins, the man preferred to have a more personal touch when killing his targets; preferring to get up and personal when they least expected it. Sometimes this involved breaking in their homes in the middle of the night or ambushing them when they were alone; which would have been ideal now if it weren't for the cameras everywhere right now. After watching the target and learning her little quirks, he had lured her back to her personal office which lay in a more modest section of the city; a border between the middle and upper class. He had been surprised that she placed her office in this area of the city since it would have been more logical for it to be at the SDC Headquarters; though given what she was doing, he should have expected it. He couldn't help but smile at the lax security when he had broken in for the first time though it did seem that she kept all of her files on her person at all times; not that he was interested in them anyways. All that mattered was her death which was what the client, who he still didn't know for sure, wanted right now.

As she turned a junction with him some distance behind, the assassin pulled out the remote with his finger on the trigger. The bomb he placed in her office was ready to detonate the minute she walked in; having set it up a little more than an hour ago. It was easy to lure her back with a simple phone call, claiming to have information that she would be interested in, which he had done while monitoring her movements. Peaking around the corner of a grey-bricked building across the street from where she was, the man watched as the silver-haired target pulled out her keys from the dress she was wearing. While he wasn't a fully trained Hunter like she was, he knew combat attire when he saw them; thus he knew that the white dress with black trim was more than able to be fought in. Even her white heels seemed unlike those worn by upper class snotty brats; even showing signs of wear; as if she used them regularly out in the field. He found it both funny and interesting that she now no longer hunted Grimm and traded them for opponents in the boardroom; from one set of beasts to another.

As the young woman walked into the building and had closed the door behind her, the assassin flipped the switch.

The building exploded with such a fantastic display that he could feel the heat even from across the street. The sounds of the explosion were so loud that his ears were slightly ringing; making him think that he might have used a tad too much in setting up the bomb. He had gotten the materials from a buddy that sold surplus military equipment on the black market; this batch coming from Vacuo rather than Atlas. Ever since the war and the various betrayals that had happened from the top, the military here and been clamping down on a lot of its products thus it took a while to bring something like this into Atlas through all the security points. Even with the White Fang no longer around, having been wiped out in the war, the military was still making sure nothing got in that wasn't supposed to; which was why he had to dish out a little more in bribes than he usual. As flames erupted from the remains of the building, the adjacent buildings starting to catch fire now, people were starting to flood the street to view the action. No one else appeared to be hurt by the explosion with the sounds of approaching sirens, the man turned to leave and make his escape.

That was when he spotted her emerging from the building; singed and covered with wounds but alive. As she struggled to walk, the assassin just stared and was completely flabbergasted on what he was seeing; not believing his eyes. As his shock wore off, it turned to fury as he refused to let this mark get away like this; especially given all the effort he went to making sure the bomb would kill her. Even though the back of his mind was telling him to run, the assassin charged forward to pulled the large hand cannon from his shirt; the gun more than capable of taking down the huntress. As she fell to her knees and seemed completely out of it, he stepped forward and pointed his weapon at her; pulling the trigger ever so slowly. He must have been seen because there was shouting and calls for him to stop, which he just ignore and focused solely on his prey. The gun let loose and the bullets flew at the young woman with her unable to dodge them; though she was still out of it.

Unfortunately for the assassin, the bullets slammed into a large white glyph that appeared in front of the woman; preventing her from coming to harm. That was she came out of her gaze and stared at the man, realization of what was going on. Before she could draw her own weapon, which was still at her hip for some reason, the man opened fire again and forced the woman on the defensive. The bullets he was using seemed designed to deal with hunters and huntresses given that they were enhanced with a special dust type alloy; sold all over Remnant because of the war which saw many hunters side with Salem. As he stepped forward and kept firing, trying to break her defenses, another large white glyph appeared on the ground; different than the one she was using as a shield. That was when a bright glowing knight appeared in front of him; brandishing a large sword. Before he could react, the summon brought the blade strait down onto the assassin; using the flat part of the blade. Instead of slicing the man in half which it would have easily done, the sword smashed the man into a pulp; leaving him a stain on the street.

The knight vanished as Weiss Schnee collapsed into unconsciousness.

The young woman woke up later on a hospital bed; various tubes going into her arm. As she tried to get up, the medical staff urged her to stay lied back as they checked her out to see if there were any serious injuries. While they prodded her, Weiss contemplated on how she got here and started to remember what had just transpired only a little while ago. She remembered having to head to the office and feeling something was wrong as soon as she entered the building. During the war, the Huntress had learned how use her aura to better protect herself despite her limited endurance; having been taught that by Qrow Branwen of all people. Like many times before, it had saved her life by taking the brunt of the damage from the explosion; only causing minor injuries at the time. She then remembered emerging from the building only to find someone attacking her, thus she was forced to use the last of the semblance to protect herself from the assailant. While Weiss didn't remember summoning her oldest protector to defeat the man on purpose, must have done so unconsciously like many times before; especially when she was in real trouble.

It was about twenty minutes before General Winter Schnee arrived in the emergency room; flanked by her soldiers.

"Secure the perimeter," Winter ordered to her men with a firm look and the armored soldiers moved immediately to carry out her instructions. While the medical staff looked a tad nervous with the new military presence in the place, they stayed silent and went about their business.

"Are you okay?" the older sister asked Weiss as the rare look of sisterly affection came to the surface. Many who knew the General almost never saw this from her except for very rare occasions.

"I'll be fine; the doctor said I will be staying the night and probably be released tomorrow afternoon," answered Weiss and she sat up in the bed and stretched her neck. While she was no longer in a real pain, her body was still quite sore.

"I am having you transferred to the hospital on base as soon as the paperwork is filed; you will be there under my escort within the house," informed the General in a tone that made no room for argument. However, like most sisters who felt she was her own person, Weiss still made her objections.

"That isn't necessary; I don't need the protection," said the young woman in an attempted to dismiss to idea. That however only brought a stern look from the older sister while holding up two fingers to make a point.

"This is the second time someone has tried to kill you; I will not stand idly by and let someone try to make a third attempt," Winder stated with as much authority as she could muster. Even if she hadn't been in full military uniform, the older woman always projected a sense of authority as long as Weiss could remember.

"I am not going to walk around with solders following me everywhere; I am a trained Huntress who can take care of herself," Weiss told her sister in a somewhat weak voice as the drugs began to hit her system. While they were nothing but aura boosters to help with the healing, she always had a slightly less than normal reaction to them.

"Against enemies out on the battlefield; whether they be Grimm or Terrorists. This enemy is not known and could strike at any time; therefore you have to be protected until they are dealt with," argued the General sternly with her arms crossed behind her back. Weiss knew that her sister was in full military form now which meant that there was little to fight against.

"What I do now is important to me and the last thing I need is to be distracted by what is going on; I can handle this," countered the younger sister with a sternness of her own, refusing to stand down. She was starting to feel groggy because of the drugs and had to fight to keep herself aware.

"And I fully support you and will do everything I can to help you succeed, you know that full well. However, I will make sure my sister is safe for the time being so this is done. I have assigned a few of my best specialists to protect you until the culprit behind these attacks are rooted out and dealt with; though I like to believe we already know who is behind all of this," Winter said with a slight growl to her voice with Weiss knowing who she meant.

"I don't think Jacque nor Whitley are behind this," Weiss responded softly as looked down and rubbed her eyes. Weiss stopped calling the man her father a long time ago ever since it became clear that he was worthy of being her parent.

"You have been a thorn in their side ever since you seized partial control of the SDC a year ago under their noses. Both of them are prime suspects in all of this," the General pointed out with absolute belief as she noted her sister was starting to tire out; probably due to the fact of the previous events.

"If those two wanted to kill me, they would have done so before I was too well established within the SDC. As it stands, my death would cast too much negative light on the company and they can't afford it right now. Besides, neither one of them would never get their hands dirty like this," Weiss countered again as she yawned and leaned back onto the bed; feeling that she should get some rest. She had a long week ahead for her and knew that she needed all the time she could get for what was to come.

"Exactly; they most likely hired someone to do this all for them which is why I will root them out and deal with those two once and for all," the older sister put forth and Weiss could hear the conviction in her sister's voice.

"You have a kingdom to run and cannot afford to be distracted; I'll use your protection for now though they will stay out of my way but I will handle this," Weiss told her sister in an effort to find a compromise. She knew full well that Winter had a lot to do given her duties and did not want her to start a war with their family; especially given that there was no proof of their involvement in all of this.

"Very well but you will be staying at the base until this is all resolved; I already made sure you get one of the VIP rooms in the officer wing," informed the older sister and she looked over at the time. She wanted to get her sister back at the base since there was a lot to get ready for given all the meetings with the Council she had tomorrow.

"Isn't that a waste of taxpayer's money?" inquired the Huntress as she closed her eyes since things were starting to get a little too bright for her. She knew her body was healing but was still exhausted and needed rest.

"You forget that you are not only a war hero in Atlas but an important asset to the Kingdom; it will not be a problem," Winter answered truthfully though she would not have cared otherwise if there had been objections. It was fortunate that Weiss was well liked by the Council in contrast to the rest of the leadership of the SDC; thus she had a bit of leeway here.

Before she could respond, Weiss fell asleep.

 **Please Read and Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **A large thanks to the people who reviewed and like this story so far; here is chapter 2 and like I said, if you want more then let me know what you think.**

Weiss glared at the document in front of her.

Sitting at the make-shift desk in the room provided by her sister, the young woman held the paper up to read it at a different angle.

Instead of using another space to do her personal business, Weiss had decided to just convert a part of her temporary living quarters since there was more than enough space. The room itself was your typical military style décor with grey walls, blue carpeting, and a simple double bed with sheets matching the color scheme. Next to the bed was a wooden nightstand with a digital alarm clock as well as a charger for her scroll; which was also military issue. That worked for Weiss since she did indeed used a military scroll for all of her work, something left over from the war, and it provided her with a much better security than her old one did back when she had been a Huntress-in-training. The window in the room was of moderate size and provided a limited view of outside, just the courtyard below and another building across the way, and was bullet as well as blast proof. She kept the drapes shut though and just used the lights in the room for illumination. There was a small bathroom attached to the room with a shower, toilet, and sink; all three as generic as one could get.

It had been a week since the incident with her office and Weiss had been holed up inside the main military headquarters of Atlas while the authorities investigated. While it was nice that the investigators daily briefed her on their findings, it was disappointing that they still had no clear idea on who was trying to kill her. One bit of news was that they had started with the most obvious suspects, Jacques and Whitley, and found absolutely nothing to tie them to the assassination attempts. It was more or less what Weiss had already believed but Winter was obviously disappointed since it meant that she couldn't officially go after them. Ever since she took command of the Atlas military and given a seat on the Council, the older sister had been etching for a fight with the leadership of the SDC; whom she had absolute distaste for. Even without her feud with her blood family, the company had given Atlas a lot of headaches during the war that often risked a victory for Salem and her allies; thus Winter would never forgive them for. While she couldn't order their arrest and imprisonment without starting a crisis in the vulnerable kingdom, not to mention risking her stripping of rank, there were those in the military as well as the council who kept close eyes on the SDC for the slightest mistake.

There was a knock at the door and a person slipped into the room; a person who was quite familiar to Weiss. It was her Faunus assistant and she was carrying a cup holder containing some drinks that she went out for; the two getting tired of the stuff from the mess hall. The woman was about Weiss's age and had on a grey business pant suit; in contrast to the blue combat skirt that her boss currently was wearing. The Faunus had short bear ears along with long red hair and green eyes; her skin slightly tan. Walking over to Weiss, the assistant handed the young woman her drink; which the Huntress took with a grateful smile. The Faunus then sat down in the chair opposite from Weiss while the two sipped their drinks in silence; happy to be drinking something better than what the base had to offer. Even though the assistant had to go outside the base to find a coffee house to get the drinks, it was well worth it in Weiss's opinion.

"Any problems getting back in this time?" Weiss asked her assistant as they sat there; taking a break from her work. The young woman had been up since seven going over various documents while only taking breaks to eat as well as use the restroom.

"No; I think they are starting to get use to me and I think that talk with your sister help," Sarah answered as she leaned back in her chair and grabbed one of the completed documents on the desk. There was a small stack of them that she was required to double check in case her boss missed something.

"Like I said, it's not because you are a Faunus but the other factor," stated the Huntress in an effort to reassure her aide.

When Weiss first put out that she needed an assistant; it was very surprising that she got very few calls. No matter what agency she went to, no one seemed to be able to help her until she found out that the SDC was trying to force her to take an assistant from the company; probably so they could spy on her. Turning down help from Winter and wanting someone more professional at business, Weiss expanded her search to outside Atlas itself; even offering to pay for residence for any potential hire; which she could now afford even after paying off all of her debts to the banks. By luck, she got a response from the woman now in front of her, named Sarah Masden, who hailed from Vacuo and had a degree in business. After flying her out, Weiss got to know her and had even learned that they had met during the war; when the Faunus had been with the other side until a particular event. After getting to know her and assured of her loyalty, Sara became Weiss's only as well as most trusted aide.

"I know and I need to get used to it; it's going to be a while before the horrors of the war are long past. Anyways, what are the plans for today?" asked the Faunus as she put down the document and grabbed another.

"I have to go to the SDC today to grab some things before tomorrow's grand meeting and I need to head to the STC Tower to pick up some important data for me. We'll meet back here later and plan out tomorrow over dinner," Weiss told her assistant and she nodded; getting up to leave.

"Oh, by the way; there was a message for you from someone who said they knew you from Beacon. She wanted to know if you were okay," Sarah informed the other woman and for a moment, Weiss froze. She looked up at her aide and tried to keep her emotions in check; hoping that the message wasn't from whom she thought it would be.

"Who?" Weiss asked, keeping her voice steady. While Sarah knew a lot about Weiss, most through reputation alone, some things were still kept secret.

"A Nora Valkyrie; I've heard of her but I thought she had retired?" inquired the assistant since she didn't know for sure.

"She did and go ahead and send her a reply saying I am alright," ordered the Huntress; inwardly sighing in relief. The last thing she needed was to hear from her old comrades given on how things ended the last time they saw eachother.

Sarah nodded and then left the room.

After she finished her drink, tea that she drank more commonly now, Weiss went over to the bathroom to freshen up. Taking a look at herself in the mirror, the young woman believed that she looked fine enough to make an appearance at the main SDC building to collect the things she needed for the big meeting tomorrow. Looking at herself in the mirror, it was more than apparent that Weiss had not changed physically in the last six years; though she did look older and still had the scar on her face. Wearing a light blue combat skirt with a low neckline, she also had on black heels; her hair in the usual ponytail style. Though she was now more of a business woman than an actual Huntress, having not actually gone on a mission in some time, Weiss still considered herself one of them. She still trained when she could, mostly doing so when she needed to de-stress after a hard day, using the practice area at the Atlas Academy where she was an honorary member. When she felt she was ready, the young woman went to the door and opened it up to address the two guards standing on either side of the entrance.

"I need to go the SDC Headquarters now so I need a vehicle," the young woman told one of the specialists; not bothering to learn his name since Winter switched them out every two days. It wasn't out of rudeness that she didn't bother but the fact it was hard to tell them apart with all that armor on.

Both nodded and Weiss headed to the elevator with the two men closely behind. Taking the lift down a couple of floors, the three entered on of the main lobbies of the building, which housed officers and other VIPs on occasions, moving past other military personnel as they went about their business. More than a few were quite young and appeared to be Hunters in training; all donning the academy uniform. As Weiss passed them, she got a few looks as well as whispers but none of them were malicious in any way; more out of awe and admiration. Though they had stayed out of the limelight for the most part, Weiss and the rest of Team RWBY were considered legends by those who hunted Grimm professionally; or were even in the know on what happened during the Grimm War. Even after all these years, the Schnee didn't really feel a sense of pride even if she was a hero of sorts; mostly due to the terrible things that occurred during the conflict such as lost friends and other events. While she gave an encouraging remark to Hunter or Huntress who braved a word to her, Weiss never talked about it and focused more on her future than anything else.

The car ride to the SDC was uneventful; the two specialists in the front of the car while Weiss sat in the backseat. There was little traffic on the road and one could still see some of the damage to the roadways leftover from the war; though there were repair crews working on the broken guardrails as well as cracked cement. The vehicle itself was armored though not a military one per say; more for simple transport than for combat. Staring out the window, Weiss watched as the morning sun began to melt the ice that had developed the night before. With the winter season approaching, mornings like this were going to be commonplace which was why Weiss needed to make sure to send a message to the caretaker of her estate to get the place ready. With her money, the young woman had purchased a home just outside Atlas; about a forty-five minute drive. It wasn't a big place and could be considered more of a summer or winter home though it could still be considered high class by some. Though she stayed in the city most of the time, she retreated to the house during her offtime while still working. While there were times she was isolated from anyone, she still had neighbors whom she encountered every now and then.

While she would have preferred her escort stay in the car, Weiss had no doubt that Winter would blow a gasket if she did that so she reluctantly allowed the men to come with her. Walking into the main SCD office building, just part of a huge complex with many different sections, the young woman was greeted to stares and whispers coming from the company's many office staff; all dressed in business attire and scurrying as they were mice in preparation for the big meeting tomorrow. Even though Weiss owned a big part of the company and had authority over just about everyone present, she just ignored them as she went to the front desk to collect some information. The receptionist was friendly enough, though she had the typical bubbly personality of a blonde and with her long hair, Weiss was almost was reminded of Yang; whom she had not seen in two years. While the receptionist was getting the information she needed, the Huntress did her best to ignore the constant whispers going on in regards to her current situation. She even wondered if one of the people, all working for different members of the upper echelons of the company, was in on the attempts; if Jacques and Whitley were truly not involved.

Once she got what was needed, Weiss and her escort left to head back to the base.

Checking her scroll for any messages, one from Sarah letting her know that she got the package for her and was her way back, Weiss began to go over the information she collected. Most of it was data on the present finances of the company as well as current business deals that the SDC was in the middle of with organizations outside Atlas. A few of those deals was being orchestrated by Weiss so she already knew what was going on with them; she was curious on what was being said officially to the other Board members though. While she knew that some of the leadership of the SCD was appreciative of her efforts to expand the company's interest, others were resentful and wanted her gone; those being toadies loyal to Jacques. I t was rather easy to identify them so she knew what to expect when dealing with them during the past meetings; usually with wit and a condescending tone. While Weiss had long gotten rid of her snobby attitude, it was people like those that she knew she was superior to.

"Aren't those supposed to be in lockdown?" asked one of the specialists to his companion with confusion; which caused Weiss to look up from the data.

There was a transport hauler with two old Paladin 290s coming alongside them from the left and was matching their speed. The cab was well in front of them so the driver could not be seen but the mechs themselves were very close to the car. Looking at the machines, Weiss remembered facing them not only back at the Fall of Beacon but a few times after that; a few more batches stolen by the other side during the War. When Salem launched her attack on Atlas, the Paladins had been used to battle Hunters as well as the military; which caused a lot of casualties. She recalled how both she and Ruby had taken down seven of them against all odds; managing to be victorious by the skin of their teeth. Ever since then, Atlas had scrapped every mech they came across and even gotten rid of their attack bots due to there just being too much of a risk in using them; Cinder showing how easy it was to take control of them.

Before the other specialist had a chance to respond, the machines came to life and pointed their weapons at the car. Out of instinct, Weiss threw up a large glyph just as one of the machines opened fire; the shot smashing into her barrier which caused the car to skid into the guard rail violently. The driver did his best to try and stop the vehicle while attempting not to hit any other the other cars; finally able to stop the car after slamming on the brakes. As the three made their way out of the car, the hauler approached with the two paladins pointing their weapons and opening fire. While the shots weren't direct hits, a blast caused one of the specialists to be thrown against the concrete wall of the road which knocked him unconscious. The other soldier was then hit full on though it seemed his armor and aura took the brunt of the strike; putting him out as well. It amazed Weiss that it could happen so fast without the three of them putting up much of a defense; slightly shaming her. With her Myrtenaster in hand, Weiss faced the machines as they stalked towards her.

Before she could make a move however, something blonde slammed into one of the paladins.

Weiss was astounded as she watched Yang Xiao Long come out of nowhere and smash her right fist into the side of the enemy mech; it falling hard to its side. The other machine seemed unconcerned by this however and still leveled its weapons at the Schnee; letting loose a barrage that flew straight at her. Before they could slam into her though, Blake Belladonna came from nowhere and used her semblance to project image of Weiss in order to fool the paladin; which managed to work. During the War, Blake had managed to learn that little trick though it took a lot out of her and they were never perfect; thus it resembled Weiss just a little. Both jumped to a point of safety just as Yang turned her attention to the other mech; hitting it from behind and knocking to face forward. She then began punching the back of the machine with pieces of scrap coming off of it for every strike; the blonde taunting it every which way. While she was doing so, the first paladin she took a swing at was getting back on its feet.

That was when another familiar face made her appearance; a person that Weiss Schnee never thought she would see again. Ruby Rose came down upon the machine with such frenzy that she looked like death itself; scythe in hand. Before it could even react to defend itself, she sliced the arm off without even pressing the trigger for the extra kick as she had done in the past; having learned new ways to yield her Crescent Rose because of her abilities. Using her semblance, Ruby moved so fast, leaving a flurry of rose petals in her wake, and circled around the machine while slicing like a food processor. She looked like a red tornado in Weiss's opinion and it still amazed her on she had really changed physically in all these years; still wearing the same red cloak and attire though the corset make her look way more adult. Her hair was also longer and flowed from her head like a goddess from works of art that the Schnee had seen before; not to mention how the upper chest area was more filled. By the time Ruby was done, the machine was in pieces all over the road and she stood over it victorious; though Weiss knew the younger girl well enough that she could see that she was fatigued.

"What are you doing here?" Weiss practically demanded to Blake as sirens could be heard and Yang checking on the two unconscious solders; after making sure the other machine was dealt with. It might have been a little more rudely than she intended, especially since they did just save her life, but they should not even been near Atlas.

"You were in trouble so we came to help; which you obviously need," Blake answered, ignoring her friend's attitude. The Faunus knew Weiss well enough to not be offended by her tone and knew she was just surprised to see them.

Before Weiss could respond, Winter arrived with elements of the Atlas military.

"You were supposed to inform me when you left the base; that was our agreement," Winter said to her sister as she looked around the scene in anger. While her troops scoured the area to look for evidence, the rest of Team RWBY stood a little distance away watching the two sisters.

"You were busy in meetings and I had to get to the SDC to get some things; I'd thought it would be a quick trip and back," the young sister said defensively as she stood her ground. She was doing her best to ignore her former teammates and hoped to be done here soon.

"Clearly that wasn't the case; I am glad that the rest of your team showed up when they did," retorted the General and the younger sister got slightly embarrassed at the thought of being saved.

"They aren't my Team anymore; that was pretty evident when I left," stated Weiss as she turned to glare at Ruby; who looked away slightly ashamed. After their fight two years ago, it was assumed that the two were no longer partners.

"Well regardless of your relationship now, they will be protecting you until this culprit is found; no discussion," Winter declared with nods coming from Blake and Yang while Ruby's gaze was away.

Weiss's eyes widened and she stuttered to find the words.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **Here is another chapter and please keep the reviews coming; I really want to know what you guys are thinking about this fic. Some of you asked on what happened between Ruby and Weiss and that will be revealed this chapter; though if you want a flashback at some point, I can do so but only if requested.**

Weiss stood in the shower as the hot water rained down upon her skin.

A fury of emotions, the young woman was trying to relax her mind after the day's events so that she could get to sleep later.

After Winter informed her that her old team would be providing protection for her for the time being, Weiss had blown up at the General. While it had been entirely childish and embarrassing for her to act like that, the young woman had not cared as she stood there and practically yelled at her older sister. While Yang looked amused about the whole thing and Blake just rolled her eyes, Ruby kept her face neutral though anyone who knew her well could see that she was hurting. It was pretty evident that the team leader had shown up to save her partner because she still cared; even with their estrangement. It took a direct threat from Winter to silence Weiss; in the form of stating that if her sister rejected the protection from the team, then Weiss would be confined to the base indefinitely; even by force if necessary. As far as she was concerned, her younger sister's safety trumped anything else and was willing to endure her anger if it meant that she was unhurt. Weiss had no choice but to agree though she was now giving her sister the silent treatment; not saying a word in the drive back to the base.

Turning off the water, Weiss reached for the white towel sitting on the toilet seat; wrapping it around her body. She then stepped out into her room only to be confronted with a visitor; Ruby sitting on her bed. As their eyes met, the emotions that Weiss had been suppressing for some time now came to the surface and turmoil once again flooded her mind. Ruby must have been going through the same thing because all could be seen on her face was a sadness and embarrassment; which was understandable. Breaking her gaze, the young woman went over to the dresser where her night attire were folded up for her; dropping the towel onto the floor. Even though they had seen each other naked a number of times in the past, Ruby was still polite enough to look away while the other woman dressed. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two as Weiss put her clothes on, neither one of them willing to make the first move to say something. Finally after Weiss had finished, she made a deep sigh and stared at Ruby; who now looked back her way.

It wasn't just physical changes that had occurred with Ruby over the years, but emotional ones as well. When she had met the younger woman at Beacon, Ruby had been an excited and energetic with a positive view of the future; wanting nothing but to be the best Huntress there was. When Beacon fell, cracks began to form in that personality but it was kept hidden under an outward desire of justice by those who were around her in the months following the attack. By the time Team RWBY reformed just after the Haven battle, Ruby began to become a bit more colder with wanting revenge on Salem and her minions; all the more prevalent with the fight with Mercury when she showed him no mercy. While it had taken a great loss to pull the silver-eyed warrior from the brink of darkness, not to mention Weiss herself, but Ruby Rose became fully aware of the world during the war; that it could be harsh and unforgiving. While she could be calm, loving, and adolescent at times; she was also prone going all out during missions where she displayed a harsh personality. She still had a soft side, but it was rare when she showed it now and only for those closest to her.

"Why are you here Ruby?" Weiss asked, as she sat in the chair facing the bed where Ruby was and leaned back against the wall. From the sound of her voice, the Schnee sounded emotionally and physically exhausted; which Ruby could understand.

"You were in trouble and I needed to help you; we all did," answered the young woman with her voice a conflict of emotions. Ruby gave Weiss a slight smile and was trying to put on a good front though the other woman could see right through it.

"You made it pretty clear that we were finished the last time we spoke; that I was no longer your partner or a member of the Team," the older woman reminded the younger; the tone a mixture of anger and grief in her voice. Ruby started to look sheepish though she nodded in agreement; as if Weiss had a point.

"Some pretty awful things were said that day; I said some bad things and you said some bad things. I have always regretted that fight," Ruby said to her partner, whom she still considered as far as she was concerned, sorrow in her voice. Weiss had to admit that she seemed authentic in her words and even she had regretted her words to the younger woman two years ago.

"And yet you never called in the last two years; not once," Weiss pointed out in an effort to make a point. Truth be told, she hadn't heard from any of the former members of her team since that day; though Weiss had changed her scroll by then.

"I didn't know what to say; like I said, we both said some pretty awful things to one another before you left. Blake and Yang kept telling me to call you but I guess I was too stubborn; though it looks like you were the same," the younger woman stated as she leaned back on the bed, her long black hair draped down her back in a slight pony tail. When the Huntress first started letting her hair grow, she decided to mimic Weiss in a way though she could never get it right.

"I was busy; not sure you've been paying attention but I have had zero time to even think about things between us with my work," said the other Huntress with not a trace of regret in her voice; also not being totally honest. There were times on late nights when she was buried in paperwork that Weiss thought about Ruby; usually when too much wine was involved.

"I see that and you were always the one who put the most in her work than the three of us; I am happy that you've accomplished so much," Ruby told the other woman and it appeared that she was being sincere and that smile genuine. For a brief moment, Weiss could feel the warmth coming from the person who was once the closest and only friend; even forgetting what had transpired between the two.

To say that it was a simple fight was an understatement; more light a bloody brawl without weapons being used. In the aftermath of the war and the final defeat of Salem and her minions, those who were on the frontlines were exhausted; both physically and emotionally. Not only had loved ones been hurt by the conflict but some had been lost; leaving the impact of their deaths on Team RWBY. They had still hunted in the months following but it was mostly stray packs of Grimm as well as the remaining elements of the White Fang; who still fought despite almost every surviving member have deserted after becoming disillusioned by the fanatical leadership who fought at Salem's side. It was just after a mission that Weiss said she was going back to Atlas to deal with the SDC; wanting to take control of her family's company from Jacque and Whitley. Ruby had protested and pulled Weiss away from the other two members of their team to pursued her that it was a bad idea; stating that the Schnee Dust Company was in the past and Hunting was the future. What started as simple arguing back and forth led to shouting, then to accusations, and lastly to things being said that opened old wounds. By the time everything was said and done, Weiss and Ruby had stopped talking to eachother with the Schnee leaving that day; not even saying goodbye to the group.

"It would have been easier if I had my partner by my side," muttered Weiss as she went over to the nightstand to set the alarm for an earlier time. While she never had to use the device before, she couldn't risk oversleeping given her exhausted mind at the moment.

"I know; but I am here now so let me help you like I should have two years ago. I am not asking that we forgive eachother right away, though that would be awesome, but I am asking that you let me do this for you; please," Ruby practically begged as she stood up and went over to where Weiss was standing. The Schnee felt her cheeks redden at the closeness of the other woman but she reluctantly nodded her head; sighing in doing so.

It took a few minutes before Weiss gave her response; sighing when doing so.

"Fine; you and the rest of the team can stay but this isn't like our missions back in the old days where you are in charge of this whole thing. I am not part of this protective detail and I will solely be focused on my work here; maybe after all of this, you and I can have a serious talk, but for the time being all of this is my primary focus," Weiss told the other Huntress with an emphasis on the fact that her work was the most important thing.

"I get it and we are here for you; I will back you up however I can," Ruby said in a supportive tone; smiling at Weiss. It was easy for Weiss to get lost in her silver eyes and had to mentally fight her feelings to not get too caught up in the moment.

"Alright then; plan to be up early because tomorrow is a big day at the SDC and make sure you three are suitably dressed. The last thing I need is Yang to be a distraction for the other executives," the Schnee said firmly and the other woman nodded before she headed to the doorway. Before she left, Ruby turned around and addressed Weiss one last time; her face quite sincere.

"I missed you," was all that Ruby said before leaving the room; exiting quickly before Weiss could respond. As she walked down the hall past the guards, she liked to think that the look on her partner's face, which she still believed Weiss to be, conveyed the same thing.

Winter had arranged the three to stay in a room across from where Weiss was located; which made it easy to get to her if something happened. Nodding to the score of soldiers stationed in the hallway, Ruby stopped in front of her room and hesitated to open the door; not wanting to make the same mistake the last time the three of them shared a room. Knocking loudly, the young huntress waited a moment before entering; finding just Blake lying on the bed reading a book. The room originally had three single beds but it seemed that her sister and friend had pushed there two together to make a single one while moving Ruby's to the far side of the room so it was a little distance away. Unlike Weiss's, this room was larger, though still sporting the same style, and a little spacious though it was currently full of their stuff; all jammed in a pile in the corner. The bathroom looked empty and there was no trace of her sister anywhere; which Ruby looked at Blake curiously since she had looked up from her book.

"Yang went to get some food for us; Winter said we could have access to the mess hall at any time of the day," the Faunus informed her; watching as Ruby went over to her bed and slipped off her boots and cloak; placing them neatly on the small dresser next to it. The younger woman then plopped down and yawned while lying back herself.

"I guess I am hungry; ate the last of those cookies we picked up in Vale on the way here," stated Ruby as her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten right ever since they had heard on the news of the attempted assassination attempts against Weiss.

"How'd it go?" Blake asked as she put her book down; genuinely curious on what had happened between the two partners. Both she and Yang had been concerned when Ruby went to talk with Weiss; given what had happened the last time they had spoken.

"It went ok; baby steps but she is letting us stay as long as we understand that this is not a Team thing," answered the silver-eyed huntress with hope in her voice; which caused Blake to nod in understanding. She was currently dressed in a white robe and slippers; though her Gambol Shroud was next to the bed.

"That's all you can do for right now; you two had a pretty nasty altercation two years ago and that is not enough for things to heal. Just do what you originally planned and keep your distance while supporting her; she'll come around once she knows you are there for her," Blake advised as she went to grab her scroll which sat on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. It had beeped and the Faunus was now going through it as if something important had come.

"I know and I am trying to do that; I just want things the way they used to be when it was the four of us out going on missions," the younger woman said as she went for her own scroll. As expected, there were messages from their remaining friends who had heard of the attack on the news.

"I think you need to let go of that dream; especially with Weiss taking such an active role in her family's company now," was all that Blake said as she continued reading her scroll. Before Ruby could respond to that, Yang had opened the door with some paper bags in her hands.

"I managed to raid the mess hall's refrigerator and grabbed some leftovers that had been served earlier. It looks like beef patties and some cabbage though I can't be too sure. I did find some cookies though but they look like they are oatmeal," Yang told the other two as she put the bags on the table and began pulling out the food. She also took out some bottles of water; two for each of them.

While Ruby's appearance was slightly different now with her hair longer and her chest area fuller, not to mention slightly more taller, the other two Huntresses were about the same; though just looked older. Yang still sported her long blonde hair and wore a bit more mature clothing than what she had earlier; a pair of black tight pants with a white tank-top that showed a bit of cleavage as well as grey combat boots. Her metal arm was quite noticeable though it appeared to be the latest model; leaving very few exposed parts. Blake's attire, more in line with her ninja fighting style, wore a white combat kimono that was loose enough for her to move around in while having black pants underneath; so wearing a pair of sandles though she did have socks on most of the time. She no longer wore her bow to hide her ears and had on a silver ring on her right hand index finger; matching the one that Yang wore on hers. Blake's hair was a little shorter than Yang's and kept it like that so that it wouldn't get in the way; a few incidents forcing her to keep it short during the war.

"So what did Ice Queen say?" asked the blonde as she began dishing out the food; handing her sister paper plate along with some utensils. The younger sister instantly glared at the older and snatched the bottle of water from the bed.

"Don't call her that; Weiss is not like that," Ruby snapped at Yang, annoyed by the nickname that the blonde often referred to her as.

"I'm just kidding sis; don't need to get worked up over it," Yang said with her hands up defensively; giving the younger woman a reassuring smile.

"Winter sent me everything she had on the investigation into who could be trying to kill Weiss," Blake informed the group, trying to change the subject before her partner said something else stupid.

"And?" asked Yang before taking a bite of her food and grimacing at the slightly less than desirable taste of it. While she had eaten worse out in the field, it was still less than edible and made her glad she wasn't in any formal military.

"Well I think Winter wasted too much time in investigating Jacques and Whitley Schnee but there appears to be nothing substantial; nothing yet on the attack earlier today The last two assassins that tried to kill Weiss are no longer with us; the first one being murdered by persons unknown and the second one by Weiss's knight. There was nothing traceable in their financials other than whoever hired them is obviously wealthy; also smart enough to cover their tracks," Blake informed the other two as she continued reading; taking a bite of her food as well. She practically gagged and had to force herself to swallow; drinking some water to do so.

"Well that puts Papa Schnee and that little brat of his at the top of the list; those two have the money to do all this," Yang pointed out with a shrug as she sat on the bed next to her partner's legs. Ruby was back on her bed but listening in intently.

"But it doesn't make sense since the opportune time for them to kill Weiss had to be before she established herself in the SDC; making herself an important asset. Now is too late and enough people know how much hatred is between the Schnees; thus if Weiss dies, then all eyes are on those two with them being seen as the perpetrators which would damage the company," the Faunus argued which Ruby nodded in agreement; seeing the logic behind it.

"So we are at square one?" the Blonde inquired with sarcasm as she moved her food away and lied down on Blake's legs; using them as a pillow.

"More or less; I like to think that Weiss might have a few ideas since it's probably likely that she has been doing her own investigation on the side," Blake said and while Yang scoffed at that, Ruby looked thoughtful since it did make sense given Weiss's habits.

"Weiss seems more focused on the boardroom and on nothing else; I doubt she's even had the time to look into something like this," dismissed the blonde as she stared up at the ceiling; starting to get bored. While it was tempting to work out in the base's gym, she rather just watch some television though she would have to go to the lounge for that.

"Weiss was always great at multitasking; which was why our team did so well with our group projects. When her meeting is over, we'll ask her if she has anything. If not, then we will split up with one of us watching Weiss while the others look for clues; thus we can tackle two priorities at once," Ruby put forth to the other two and there were was a general agreement that it was a good plan; thus they ended the conversation and turned in for the night.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

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	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **Here's another chapter and I am happy that everyone likes this story; please continue to leave feedback! As for the potential flashback; it might still happen though I am still undecided though I appreciate your opinions.**

Weiss was up before her alarm.

Climbing out of bed immediately after opening her eyes, she went straight to the bathroom to shower.

Given that she had enough time, the young woman lingered under the hot was for a little bit; letting it massage her skin. This was probably the one time during the day she would get to relax since soon she would be face to face with the vipers at the SDC; thus she needed to be on her guard at all times. While her protectors would be able to shield her from physical attacks, she hoped, they would not stand a chance when it came to the dangers in the boardroom; not even being able to grasp it. As she stretched as much as she could in the small stall, looking forward to when she would be able to spend a few days home, Weiss applied her shampoo and finished washing her body. She then shut off the water and reached for the towel, a new one than the one from last night, wrapping it around her body. Unlike the previous night, Weiss was alone when she stepped out into her room; which she figured since the others would probably still be in bed given that it was still early. Ruby had indicated that the team had hightailed it here when they heard about Weiss so it wouldn't come as a surprise if they were a little tired.

With the towel still wrapped around her body, Weiss went to her things in order to pick out an outfit for the day. After putting on some undergarments, she stood there and thought about the impression she wanted to make to the SDC. In the past, Weiss had always dressed professionally in a business suit with a long skirt; which was not her usual attire. It was her attempt to fit in during the board meetings though very few ever recognized her place; not at first anyways with some coming around after she proved her worth. Given the last few days however, she figured it was time to show some strength to her enemies; especially since one of those individuals might be involved in all of this. Weiss still did not believe that Jacques and Whitney were involved, not being logical at this point in time, but there was a good chance that one of the other executives could be in an effort to consolidate his or her own power. She knew very well that there were other factions in the SDC, not all of them loyal to the Schnees, and this could be an attempt to seize control of the company.

Looking over her outfits, Weiss knew that she needed to dress in something that would not only show her professionalism but convey her prowess as a Huntress. Going for a dark blue battle skirt, she chose a matching color military blouse with black heels. During the war, Weiss had been awarded a few medals from the other Kingdoms and she decided to wear the insignia to show them off; especially since Jacques also dressed like he was in the military. After dressing, she went back into the bathroom to do her hair; going with a bun in order to annoy the elder Schnee since it was a style that Winter always did in order to get back at the man. Once her hair was done, she looked at the clock and saw that she still had a few more hours left until they needed to go; heading over to her desk to go over some last minute things. It was about that time that there was a knock at her door and Sara appeared with some coffee for the two; dressed in a black business suit with heels as well.

"Any problems getting in? I thought I would have to get involved in case Winter rejected your clearance," Weiss inquired as she went through her scroll while sipping her drink. The two were seated at the desk and relaxing since it would be a while before they could again.

"No; though I did see one of your bodyguards coming out of the room to get something to eat a few minutes ago. I never thought I would see Blake Belladonna up close in person," stated the secretary as she leaned back in her chair; sipping her own drink.

"You never encountered her in the good old days?" asked the Schnee, looking over at the Faunus with an inquiring face.

"I was in a different branch though she was well known. I am still surprised to see her here as well as the rest of your old team," Sara said in an attempt to fish more information out of her boss. While Sara was absolutely loyal to Weiss in every way, she had always been curious on what had happened in the split with her team.

"They're protecting me until whoever is behind this is found; so we are going to have to get used to them for the time being," informed the Huntress in a neutral tone; which the assistant caught.

"How does that make you feel?" inquired the other woman; trying to keep the inquisitive part out of her voice.

"Quit fishing; just ask what you want to know," Weiss said irritably, clearly seeing what her assistant was doing.

"Fine; how do you feel having your old team around you after all this time given what happened the last time you were all together? Especially in regards to you old partner?" inquired the Faunus directly and was more than curious on the answer.

"It's a little unnerving to be honest; but Ruby and I talked last night and I've agreed to let her be there for me. When this is all over, we are going to talk," answered the Schnee simply and trying to keep her emotions in check.

"Well that is something; it will be nice to have some backup at the SDC since we cannot be sure what to expect at this point," stated Sara as she looked over at the time. They spent the next hour going over the data for the meeting so that they were ready.

It was about an hour till when there was a knock at the door; which Ruby and Yang then entered the room.

"What are you wearing you dolt?" Weiss asked Ruby once she got a good view of the younger woman's attire.

"I thought it would help me blend in," Ruby defended while Yang just gave Weiss a bemused look. The Huntress was wearing black suit that made her look more like a secret agent than a businesswoman.

"And you couldn't dress a little better?" the Schnee inquired to the blonde who was dressed in a pair of very tight jeans with a plain white t-shirt. While the t-shirt wasn't as tight as the jeans, it still left little to the imagination.

"This was the nicest thing I packed; your welcome," stated Yang with a somewhat sarcastic as well as mocking tone of voice. Weiss just sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose; feeling a headache coming on.

"Where's Blake; I at least hope she dressed appropriately," stated the silver-haired Huntress with hope; knowing that the Faunus was the more mature of the group.

"She's not coming; she went to go talk to the investigators on yesterday's attack so she'll meet us back here when we are done," informed Yang and Weiss nodded; thankful that it was one less person she had to deal with. While Blake was the more mature on of the group like herself, Weiss did not feel comfortable bringing the woman to the SDC given her history; which was well known to all.

It was another hour before Weiss and Sara were ready to head out; gathering their things while Ruby and Yang waited. Once everything was set, the four left the room and headed outside where there was a car all ready for them; courtesy of Winter. Unlike the vehicle yesterday, this was an armored Humvee which was designed to take a beating. Much to Weiss's chagrin, Yang was driving so the Schnee got in the back seat so that she wouldn't have to see the blonde's crazy driving; instead focusing on her preparations for the meeting. Sara sat next to her and the two went over things while Ruby was in the front passenger's seat; listening in on what was being said. At first, she had been jealous of the Faunus since Weiss seemed to focus more on her than even acknowledging Ruby; though it sounded like there were some major business discussions going on. The younger Huntress knew that she would have to start a crash course in learning about Weiss's work in order to try and support her; especially since they might be in Atlas for a while.

They arrived at the SDC without incident, parking the car where Weiss's parking space was; which was towards the front of the building. In various other spaces were limos of all sizes with chauffeurs hanging around and talking to one another; though a few of them seem to stare at the group once they exited their vehicle. Once Weiss was out, the door opened by Ruby, she was escorted to the main entrance with Ruby in the back while Yang was in the front; Sara was at her boss's side. Entering the building, they were greeted to a large crowd of suits all scurrying about and doing their jobs; though they did glance at the four as they moved through the main hall. The room was lined with white marble that was free of dirt with matching colored walls; every part illuminated by the lights in the ceiling. There were portraits of the Schnees everywhere though most of them were of Jacques and Whitney; there were very few of Nicholas Schnee, the founder of the company. There were also statues of white knights, similar to Weiss's summon, in the corners as if they were standing guard; though they were simply empty suits of armor. As they headed to the elevator, there were whispers and stares coming from the staff though they just ignored it and entered the small space; Weiss pushing the button for the top floor.

"I have to admit, I was expecting more out of the SDC Headquarters; like a giant castle or something more grandiose than an office building," Yang said as they stood in the elevator while opera music could be heard overhead. The outside of the SDC matched the other tall building of Atlas and was almost indistinguishable from the rest; except for the Military and Government ones.

"It's on purpose; my Grandfather was a more humble man who didn't want to make the company more important than Atlas. When Jacques took over, he kept the tradition as well as to make sure that it couldn't be picked out for an attack in case Atlas was ever invaded," informed the Schnee as she looked over some things that Sara had handed her. Both were carrying light brown travel cases used for business dealings.

"Well the inside is about what I expected; your father sure knows how to show himself off along with your brother," said the blonde casually which caused the silver-haired Huntress to give her a sharp glare.

"That man is not my father; he's just the man who helped birth me," Weiss said in a tone that was so full of rage that even Yang put her hands up while taking a step back. Ruby also shot her sister a glare which told the blonde that she needed to stop talking now.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to a long hall with a pair of black-suited men standing guard on a second set of doors.

"Yang will stay outside and stand guard with them; I am heading inside with you guys," Ruby said to Weiss and Sara that made no room for argument. Weiss had been expecting that however and simply nodded; also glad that it was just the younger woman and not the blonde sister.

"Alright; but you are not to say a word and stay close to Sara at all times. I cannot have you as a distraction in that room; so keep your temper in check," ordered the Schnee to Ruby who became somewhat confused by the words.

"I am not Yang," said the red-haired huntress defensively; which earned an annoyed look from her sister.

"No but you do have a temper; especially when it comes to people insulting those you care about so you need to keep quiet. There is more than one person in that room who hates me and will say some nasty things to make that point; do not let it bait you," Weiss told her protector and the younger huntress nodded in understanding; though she still disagreed.

With that said, the three entered the room; the doors being opened by the bodyguards while Yang just stayed back. Inside was a rather large space with a large group of suited men scattered about; some sitting while others conversed. The room matched the layout of the rest of the building; except for the large brown rectangular table that sat in the center. There were seven seats on each side of the table with one at each end; totaling sixteen in all. Above was a large golden chandelier with what appeared to be authentic candles to illuminate the room; no windows at all to view the outside. On the opposite end of the room was a smaller set of doors where there was a large painting of Jacques Schnee overlooking the room; dressed in his usual attire. Ruby had seen such images of the man before and he always looked cold to her; which she now understood given what she now knew of him. They had never met in person but she did have a passing a chance meeting with Whitney; who had the gall to try and woo her. While a few of the other people gave the Schnee a polite nod in greeting as she seated herself at the end of the table closest to the official entrance, others just glared at her.

"Does Weiss always bring you into these meetings? I don't see any of the other board members with assistants," Ruby asked Sara as they stood in the back of the room once she handed her boss everything she needed. Weiss was currently looking at her scroll with a small stack of papers in front of her on the table.

"Yes; it's a way to rub the fact that I am a Faunus and assisting one of the owners of the Schnee Dust Company in Jacques's face," answered Sara with a smirk as more than a few executives looked like they resented that the Faunus and Huntress were in the room.

"That's horrible; I can't believe Weiss uses you like that," Ruby said; clearly angry about that and giving Weiss a disappointed look.

"Don't be mad; it was my idea. As far as I am concerned, Weiss Schnee is the future this company needs and any way I can help her is what's important," stated the Bear Faunus sincerely in defense of her boss.

"So you two are pretty close then?" inquired the younger woman who once again felt a pang of jealously in her heart; trying to keep that hidden.

"I'm married and have three kids with my husband who is back in Vacuo; she is all yours," stated Sara with a grin to the Huntress; catching Ruby by surprise. The Faunus could see the small blush form on the back of the younger woman's neck.

Before Ruby could say anything; Jacques Schnee had arrived with Whitney.

While the other people in the room rose in honor for the current CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, Weiss remained seated while still looking at her scroll. If Jacques and Whitney were bothered by this fact, they didn't show it while they greeted the other executives; who then took their seats at the table with Whitney on the right of his father. Looking at the man, Ruby saw that he looked a lot more haggard than before; wondering if the rumors about his health were true. It was said that the elder Schnee was sick though nothing of that was mentioned by Weiss; who either didn't know for sure or just didn't care. Whitney on the other hand looked about the same as she last saw him; also looking more arrogant than ever. When their eyes met, he smirked at her and Ruby just glared; her hand going to her holstered Crescent Rose at her hip. The young man just looked away and at his sister; giving the older woman an innocent but highly fake smile even though she was not paying attention to him in the slightest. It was everything Ruby had not to go over and wipe that smile off his face; happy that Yang stayed outside since she probably would have.

"This meeting is now called to order," Whitney said to the group; which caused Weiss to look up at the group and put away her scroll. Her face was stone as she sat there as was matched by Jacques; the two locked in some sort of mental battle.

It was then that Ruby realized this wasn't a business meeting; it was a warzone.

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	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **I want to thank all those who offered their input and the edits that I need to make; missed the auto-correct that my MS Word sometimes does without me realizing. Again, reviews drive this story so please keep leaving them.**

It was the most boring warzone she had ever been in.

It was almost twenty minutes since the meeting began and it was everything Ruby had in order not to yawn.

The meeting started with Whitley rising from his seat and offering his thanks to Weiss's continuing safety; which was absolutely a fake statement in Ruby's opinion. While it could have sounded real to those who just happen to hear it in passing, it was the way he said it that indicated that he never meant a word of it. Ruby had no doubt that the younger man, who was about her age, resented his sister for usurping a position that he should have held alone; that he now had to share the SDC with her once Jacques was out of the picture. Weiss, remaining sitting, politely thanked her brother though it was obvious to all that she wasn't buying it at all; especially given their history. Once the formalities were done with, everyone got down to business with one of the board members giving his report on the current finances of the company. While he occasionally appeared to focus on what was being said by the other executives, Jacques seemed to be giving Weiss his full attention.

Ruby supposed that she hated the man; even more so than Salem and Cinder during the war with their various atrocities. This was an individual who had been such a horrible father, making her thankful for hers, that it had scarred both Weiss and Winter. While Ruby never had much contact with the older Schnee sister, she had heard from Weiss how Jacques had kicked her out of the family and cut her off from her inheritance when she had joined the military; as he had with Weiss after she escaped the Schnee manor all those years ago. It often amazed her that a despicable man like that could escape unscathed by the recent conflict; though it was rumored that the SDC had been nearly destroyed by it because of the White Fang. Looking at him now, Ruby couldn't help but glare at the man for what he did to Weiss; depriving her of a loving home that Ruby, Blake, and Yang had the fortune to have. He caught her glare and returned one of his own since she knew he didn't approve of her lifestyle; often saying so on the news.

It seemed that the SDC was slumping along in the aftermath of the War; only making enough profits to hold themselves afloat in this new world. While the company still held just about a monopoly on Remnant's Dust Supply, many of those mines were not in the best conditions; having been hit by both the White Fang and Salem's forces during the recent conflict. It was good that their enemy had been defeated since the shortage of dust would have been a hindrance to the Hunters fighting; especially in regards to Salem's more powerful Grimm. Speaking of which, it seemed that no one in the room had even seen a Grimm up close, other than Weiss, and it amazed her that the executives regarded the beasts so lightly. It was mentioned that one of the mines had a nasty infestation of deathstalkers and they were talking about how cheaply they could get rid of the problem; which was ridiculous. While Ruby hated to think ill will on anyone except her enemies, she wished Atlas had been hit harder during the war by actual Grimm than the White Fang; wanting to see a little more fear in them.

"The next order of old business is the issue regarding our striking workers in the Taipai region of Mistral; which Ms. Weiss has been handling," announced the secretary of the meeting; an older man who seemed to use the title as an insult to Weiss in Ruby's opinion. It disgusted her that anyone would deny her family title which she more than deserved to have.

"I've been contact with the leaders of the strike and have managed to make a deal with them in order to avoid a walkout; the contents which my assistant will now hand out," Weiss announced to the group; motioning to Sara in the back. The Faunus then handed out copies of the report to each member; slightly smiling as Jacques was forced to take one from her.

"Seems you've given them quite a lot," Whitley remarked as he read through the proposed deal along with the rest of the board. While his face was neutral, there were mixed reactions from the rest ranging from darkened looks to some approving ones.

"Not as much as you think; in exchange for us providing a slight pay raise and medical to all mine workers, I've gotten them to agree to a locked contract for five years and a full pledge of loyalty to the SDC where any worker who leaves will not work for any other rival company. Any breach of the agreement from their end means that we get to remove any worker who strikes; though given that we are the only company in the region, no one would risk it," Weiss argued with an emphasis on what their gains were.

"If we are the only game in town there, why shouldn't we just remove the entire workforce and hire new ones?" asked one of the board members; an elderly man known for his lavish tastes.

"Especially given that they are mostly Faunus who are nothing but animals; I'd rather have human workers after all those problems with the White Fang," stated another in a snide tone. Ruby was now glad that Blake and Yang were not in the room given they would respond to that; rather violently in her sister's case.

"This isn't like Atlas or other parts of Remnant where Faunus and Humans live largely apart from one another. The population of this region is very devoted to eachother and there is heavy cooperation between the two groups; even living closely and having families. If we lay off the entire workforce then no one will work for us; thus no Dust will flow from the mines," the Huntress reminded the group and there were quiet mutterings from the executives; a few having disdain for those who had mixed families.

"Then we import workers from here or Mantle; then we can count on a loyal workforce without dealing with the locals at all," suggested an executive; known for his loyalty to Jacques. There were few of the Old Guard left with those remaining having an absolute devotion to the CEO and his chosen heir.

"This would draw the ire of the Mistral Government; whom we lease the land from in order to mine the Dust in that region and could revoke it. Even if we got away with importing workers, we could face sabotage from our former miners with the local authorities looking the other way; whom also have ties to the population. It is better for us to agree to this deal and move on than waste more money fighting their demands which are not too bad for us to handle. Better a loyal workforce and reputation right now since the other Kingdoms don't think very highly of us right now; especially with what happened during the war," Weiss reminded the group as she glared slightly at Jacques and Whitney. There were more than a few agreeing nods as well as embarrassed looks from the board members.

"I'm afraid my dear sister Weiss is quite correct; it does look like this is the best deal we can get and she is to be commended for achieving this much. I pledge my full support for this agreement and believe we should sign it now," Whitley said in what appeared to be sincerity and most of the board looked surprised at his words. Even his father raised an eyebrow, still silent during the whole meeting, though he seemed to agree.

"Thank you; I've already signed the contract as partial owner of the Schnee Dust Company and I just need yours as well as a majority of the board," informed Weiss as she held up her signature on the contract.

Ruby and Sara watched as hands went up when a call for a full vote happened; with every board member agreeing to the contract. Jacques and Whitley then placed their signatures, handing the contract to Sara who then handed it to Weiss. The Faunus then rejoined Ruby's side as the executives went to the next order of business. The red-headed Huntress was happy that her friend still cared for the workers of her company and had not become like her father and brother in her quest to take control of the SDC. While Weiss had many admirable traits within her, she could still display snootiness on occasions when it came to money. Out of the four of them, she always handled it better than the other three; even making more than the usual Huntress and storing it away for something later. When she had been cut off from her inheritance, Weiss had to rely on her friends and skills to make it on Remnant thus she had stayed in Patch with Ruby in the aftermath of the war. Taking up room in Yang's old room, the blonde having moved in with Blake at Beacon, the Schnee contributed with the lien made from missions.

"With that concluded, I wish to make an announcement. As you all know, my son and heir Whitley Schnee is engaged to be married with the scion of the Bonaparte Family in four weeks' time. When that marriage comes into effect, The Bonaparte Corporation will be officially absorbed by the Schnee Dust Company," proclaimed Jacques Schnee proudly as he stood and addressed all those in the room. There were shocked faces on many of the executives and even Weiss's neutral demeanor was broken by the news; her face of stunned disbelief.

She had known about Whitley's engagement to Alicia Bonaparte for some time now; having been announced on the news. While it would have been polite to be informed of it before hearing it from a third party, it wasn't a surprise that both she and Winter had been left out of the loop on such things. While Jacques had more or less kicked both sisters out of the family, they were still connected by blood and name no matter what. Weiss had never met any of the Bonapartes but she knew the name well; owning the largest transport company in Atlas. At one time, the family had plenty of children with Alicia being the youngest of five; four males ahead of her on the succession of the company itself. However, all four of those sons had been killed in various accidents over the years due to the extravagant lifestyle the family chose to indulge in. With Alicia Bonaparte the sole heir of the company, it was expected that she would take the reins once her father died; even though a male had run the business since its founding and the family rumored to be extremely chauvinistic. The war had left the company devastated though with its strength greatly diminished; many of their craft having been destroyed by Nevermores as well as White Fang attacks.

"You have overstepped yourself; as partial owner of this company, I have full say when it comes to the SDC taking control of any outside entity," Weiss said to the older man; struggling to keep the anger out of her voice. Through her tone, Ruby could tell that her partner was not happy at all; becoming angry herself at Jacques's smirk.

"Only when it comes to the purchase of an outside entity; this absorption is part of the young Alicia's dowry to the Schnee thus no lien was involved," defended the older Schnee with a dismissive wave of his hand; acting like Weiss was a young child. While this enraged her on the inside, she managed to compose herself though her face darkened considerably.

"Very well; I demand though that all financial records be disclosed to me prior to this "absorption" so I can review them in depth. Afterall, it wouldn't be in this company's best interest if you missed something in your old age," said the Huntress in a neutral voice. Though it was petty and childish, Weiss couldn't help itself; though it had the desired affect; Jacques simply glared at her.

"We'll make sure you receive everything," Whitley said in response before his father could in order to prevent a fight.

"Until then, given that there is no further business to discuss until the marriage, we will break for the month while my son plans for his wedding," stated the elder Schnee and there were nods from the rest with a reluctant one coming from Weiss. The four week break would give her more than enough time to review the financials of the Bonaparte Company in case something was there that needed to be known.

"Is it usual for them to go a month without meeting?" Ruby asked Sara quietly while things started to adjourn for the day. While Weiss was gathering her things and talking to one of the younger executives, the other two Schnees were talking to those who were considered loyalists.

"No it isn't; which is why Weiss spends so much time in Atlas despite owning a home near Mantle. However, this wedding is taking up every ounce of Jacques and Whitley's time so things are being run by the various departments for the time being. Since Weiss is partial owner of the SDC, any major decision would have to be approved by her though things are settled right now; except for that bomb that was just dropped," Sara answered with a groan; knowing that there would be much work to be done over the next month.

"So he can get away with this without Weiss's input?" inquired the Huntress in an effort to understand what was going on.

"Pretty much; though it might be prevented if Weiss finds something off in the records she is to be sent. On the surface, this is a boon for the SDC since it gives it access to its own fleet of air transports to ship dust around by air; but it's well known that the Bonaparte Corporation suffered badly by the war and is in trouble so this could cause a huge hit to the company. So we'll just have to see," stated the Faunus as her boss made her way over to them; more than ready to go.

"Will we be seeing you at the wedding; you are invited of course," Whitley asked as he suddenly approached the three. While his tone was pleasant and polite, none of the women were buying it for a second.

"I think I will pass; I'll be busy," Weiss answered abruptly as she moved past her brother to leave the room. He suddenly grabbed her arm though and Ruby moved to a combat stance until Weiss waved her off.

"I just would like to say that it does warm my heart to see you safe my sister; I am happy that you once again have the beautiful Ruby Rose guarding your precious life," stated the male Schnee in a somewhat flirtatious tone of voice; causing Weiss to simply roll her eyes.

"Well whoever is behind this better hire better people; I wouldn't want them to waste such money," the Schnee sister responded as she moved pass her brother is a somewhat sarcastic tone; bumping his shoulder along the way.

The younger man smirked at Ruby as she passed to follow Weiss and she simply met his smirk with the sharpest glare she could muster.

"How'd it go?" Yang asked as she got up from the floor and put her scroll away. Weiss just ignored the blonde as she walked passed with Sara in tow.

"That good huh?" inquired the older sister to Ruby in a somewhat sarcastic tone of voice as they followed them to the elevator.

"Let's just say that we are really lucky Dad is such a great guy," was all that Ruby said before they entered the elevator to head back down.

They made it to the vehicle without incident and there was general silence all the way back to the base.

"So when do you want us to start going over the financials? I imagine right when we get them," Sara inquired as they arrived in Weiss's room. While Ruby and Yang stood off to the side, the other two women headed over to the desk.

"I am going over the financials when they arrive; you have been away from your family for too long so I am giving you your month off to be with them," Weiss told the Faunus as she turned to look at her.

"But you're going to need my help," protested the other woman as she could only stare at her boss.

"You need to go home Sara; I will send you the files so you can review them and we will connect in a month to go over them. Family is important so go be with yours," the Schnee practically ordered and Sara reluctantly nodded; though she did long to see her children. They then hugged and said their goodbyes with the Faunus then leaving to pack as well as catch her flight back to Vacuo.

"That was nice of you," Yang said to the Schnee as she leaned against the wall and watched as Weiss began to pack up her things.

"She's been with me from the start and I keep her from her family for too long sometimes. The month will give her a chance to recharge," stated Weiss as she mentally planned out her next moves.

"Where did you find her? I don't see a lot of Faunus here in Atlas with business degrees," Ruby asked as she sat down on the bed.

"Found her in Vacuo; she used to be in the White Fang during the war," informed the Schnee woman and both Yang as well as Ruby's faces darkened at that news.

"Is that right," said the blonde as she turned towards the door; her tone full of anger. While Ruby did not appear angry by the news, her face did not look happy.

"Relax; she deserted like the many others when Adam massacred all those civilians at the refugee camp where we fought. She helped liberate Vacuo City from Tyrian when he invaded," Weiss told the pair and they visibly relaxed; though Ruby looked haunted since it had been a traumatizing event that day. It was then that Blake appeared in the doorway with some drinks for all of them.

"Any news?" Yang asked her fiancé as she took her drink and sipped it while Blake handed the rest of the women theirs.

"They found the guy who stole the Paladins to attack Weiss but he was already dead; his house blown in a supposed accident. He was another assassin for hire with no connection to his client," Blake told the group and there was a sigh of disappointment from Ruby.

"So what do we do now?" Ruby asked Weiss given that the woman was still packing her things; as if she was leaving the base soon.

"Time to go home; I'll show you guys where I live," Weiss answered with a smile.

They were all intrigued.

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	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **I always want to thank those who continue to follow this story; as well as forgive any mistakes and my standing offer for a beta is still open. This chapter does feature some background into how Weiss got partial control of the SDC and I hope it fits; had to do a bit of financial research to try and be authentic. Also, I tried my best to describe Weiss's place though it was hard saying the style of the house given that this style does not exist in her world though in ours. If you need clarification, let me know in the reviews.**

The car drive was long.

As Weiss stared out the window of the vehicle, she watched the countryside go past her in a serene way.

Ruby was next to her while Blake and Yang were in the front of the car; it being the same one that they had drove Weiss to the SDC earlier. Winter had loaned it to them for the duration of the mission, whether how long it be, and she promised anything else if they needed it. While Weiss was appreciative towards her sister and promised to call if something was required, she did have her own resources to call upon; having built some up in the last year. The younger Schnee had no doubt though that Winter was still watching or had her people doing so, knowing full well that Atlas had increased surveillance in the Kingdom ever since the war. A while back, the SDC had sold the military a fleet of drones to patrol the areas of the land when the military had become too stretched and Weiss could have sworn she had spotted one about ten minutes ago following the car. While there was the remote chance that her mysterious enemy could be using one to spy on her as well, it was well known that all unmanned vehicles were illegal with in the Atlas borders and were shot down in violation; though it didn't matter to criminals.

They had left the city proper over an hour ago and while her place wasn't that far outside the walls that surrounded it, Yang seemed to make it long. Given that winter had yet to really start, the countryside was a little greener thus the blonde had to call out every little thing she saw; as if it were somehow unusual to see in Atlas. It didn't help that Blake was edging her on and was surprisingly not in the middle of some book; which had been the norm when Yang had been the driver during their trips in the old days. The road they were on was one of the few completely intact from the chaos years ago and connected to several areas that were free of Grimm; enclaves for those wanting to get away from the bustle of Atlas and even Mantle. There were a few trees as they passed and even watchtowers manned by troops; though not filled to capacity. They had even passed one of the many mines owned by her company; built into the side of a large mountain. While Weiss suggested that they could go and see if things were running smoothly, the blonde and her Faunus girlfriend shot her a look saying that nothing was to break the mood of the trip.

Watching the two of them interact, it still made her happy that the two were a couple and were enjoying life; despite the hardships from the War years past. Their reunion at Haven had not gone well, even Sun not being able to help mend that relationship at the time, and it was because of a particular event had cemented their partnership again. As Team RWBY came together again after preventing Haven Academy from ending up like Beacon, also saving one of the artifacts from ending up in Watt's hands, they had left Mistral closer than before. During their travel to Vacuo, Yang and Blake had gotten closer until a full on relationship bloomed; much to the disbelief to all but a few. From then, the two had become inseparable with them even moving into their own place back in Patch; though they also had a place to stay at Blake's parents back on Menagerie. Both Yang's father and Blake's parent were supportive of the relationship; though Raven was indifferent of it; still not really part of her daughter's life despite the heavy contact they had back during the conflict. Sometimes Weiss was jealous at the fact that they had such a loving bond as well as the fact that they had real parents; also filling her heart with sadness that her family lacked that much warmth.

"Why did you buy a place so far from where you work? Seems like such a waste for a workaholic like you," Yang commented as she turned off the main road and headed to an enclave that sat on a large hillside.

"Privacy really; this place was one of the few that I didn't have to worry about being spied upon by my father since it is mostly run by the military. There are lots of retired officers here so I knew that I was among friends," answered Weiss neutrally while ignoring the workaholic label while Ruby just glared at her sister.

"It seems like a nice and quiet area; though I wonder if staying close to the city would be a better idea since support would take a while to get to us if something happens," Ruby said as the cluster of buildings got closer as the car approached a large stone wall.

"It's fine; like I said, this place is military property though they rent out to a select few like myself; which is one of the perks of being a War Hero," the Schnee dismissed with a wave of her hand; having been assured her place's security a long time ago.

The enclave was a gated community; surrounded by a large wall manned by a private security force; all ex-Atlas soldiers who lived in the place with their families. After showing her id to the people at the entrance, the car was allowed inside and began to pass numerous residences with happy families out in the open; taking advantage of the nice day. The place was like the small towns that lined the Kingdom of Vale; complete with their own shops and even a power station that used geothermal energy like the rest of the northern continent. There was even a micro communications tower to call for aid in the unlikely event that the enclave was attacked by Grimm; though there were none for miles. They passed the center of the town along the single road, not passing that many personal vehicles but rather busses, continuing on until they headed to an area at the back of the community; not too far away from the back wall that had quite a view of a series of mountains. This particular location had very few houses and seemed more ideal for those who liked their privacy.

When the four women arrived at Weiss's house, it was discovered it was different from the rest.

Unlike the modern residences that were located around them, this one looked to be rather old fashioned; as if it were built before everything else. While it could be considered a small mansion, with a small grey brick wall surrounding the property, it was made of wood that was painted green with a red rooftop that sported a tower like structure; it being two stories. The windows looked to have old wooden shutters covering the glass except for a small one on the door itself. There was a large porch in the front that seemed to circle the exterior of the house with steps leading up to the front door; a small stone pathway providing the way. The green grass that was the front lawn looked to be well maintained and there was a medium sized fountain not too far away from the right side of the pathway; though it was empty of water. On the roof looked to be a few antennas that were used for various things though the power came from below; connected to the central power hub that was below the surface. As they exited the car and grabbed their things, they followed Weiss up to the front door and the Schnee unlocked the door with both a key as well as her personal code before heading inside with the rest of the group.

"Wow; this place looks like an antique," remarked Yang once everyone was inside and got a good look.

Inside seemed to match the theme of the outside of the house with the walls being a lime green while the floor was a brown hardwood. While the air did smell a little stale, everything looked to be clear of dust while the floor was shiny; as if someone cleaned it regularly. There was a wooden coatrack next to the entrance which was empty of clothing with a small closet on the wall next to it. The front hall, which they were standing in, had a staircase leading up to the second floor while two doors led to different parts of the house. Above them was a series of small chandeliers though they were definitely electric while there were lights running along the bannisters that provided illumination for the stairs during the night; controlled by switches on both floors. While there were a few paintings on the walls and a grandfather clock in one of the corners, there wasn't really anything else to see. As they made their way further inside to what was described as the common room, there were more old fashioned furniture that matched the color of the walls on top of a light blue rug that almost covered the room; though there was a modern television sitting on top of a black oak vanity on the far wall.

"The previous owner had been a Colonel in the Atlas military that had a thing for an older style of living conditions; though he had the sense to not make everything too out of date. When he died, the place went up for sale and I bought it almost a year ago; needing a place to escape to when I needed a break from work. I kind of liked the theme though I never got around to changing the colors," Weiss stated to the group as she placed her bags on the ground next to one of the green sofas that encircle a large light brown coffee table. She then went to turn on one of the wall lamps that encircled the room; electric despite the metal base.

"So we do have modern plumbing?" inquired Blake as she looked around and kind of liked what she was seeing; the theme reminding her of the various novels she has read in the past.

"Oh yes; though each bathroom has both a shower stall and a clawfoot tub. Each room has their own though there is a small one on the bottom floor containing only a toilet and sink. There a five rooms in all, one being the master room, and the setup matches the rest of the house; all the beds being king-sized and poster. The kitchen does have a few modern appliances that I had to add but the fireplaces and woodstoves are the only real heating the place has; the wood should be well stocked in each room in case you need to light a fire," explained the Schnee to the rest of the group while she decided on what was the next thing to do. While she usually just went to her room after arriving home, she knew that she was now entertaining guests.

"What about security?" inquired Ruby as she looked around and planned to walk the perimeter to get a feel of the place. To her, the house looked to be a little too large though there seemed to be plenty of space if there was a fight.

In response, Weiss just took a simple step and the floor creaked loudly.

"The past owner happened to be also a very paranoid man and you can take more than five steps anywhere without making a noise on the ground; thus it prevents someone from sneaking up on you. Moreover, there a series of secret passages that are not listed on the official plans, leading to a panic room in the basement, and a fully stocked armory in the master bedroom; which I still maintain. Plus, I would not doubt that Winter has people in town keeping an eye on things," the Schnee put forth as they followed her to the kitchen. Like the rest of the house, the color scheme was the same though there was a mix of modern and old fashioned.

"Is it just you or are we expecting some household staff?" Blake asked while she strolled over to the duel refrigerators; one being new while the other was an ice box. She was surprised to see both fully stocked with food already so they didn't have to go shopping.

"Just me; Sara sometimes stays with me where we end up working in my office that is located in the basement. A lot of times, I end up sleeping down there during late nights," said Weiss as she grabbed some glasses from a cabinet and went to grab some juice. After pouring everyone a glass of grape juice, she handed them out.

"Wow, you have a huge bedroom that you do not use and wealth you no longer flaunt; I am not sure whether to be proud of you or concerned," Blake said to her friend as she sat in one of the chairs in front of a large counter. Though there was a table clear of dishes, there was a counter which one could sit as well.

"I think it sounds lonely," was all that Ruby could say with a sad smile directed at the silver-haired young woman. While she might have been jealous if Weiss had gotten a new set of friends following their split, she was even more disheartened that she had closed herself off to the world.

"I'll get a life once my Grandfather's company is in my hands so that I can redeem it; to save it from the corruption brought upon by Jacques and Whitley," Weiss said firmly as she nursed her drink; avoiding looking at Ruby. The last thing she wanted was to feel guilty because of the look from the younger Huntress.

"I've always been curious on how you did that in the first place; you said that your father cut you off and took all your shares away," Yang stated as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms.

"It's a long story," said the Schnee as she glanced at her scroll to see if there were any messages; which there was. Sara was on her way to Vacuo and would respond once she got the documents that was expected.

"We've got plenty of time," said Blake who was more than curious herself. She tried to find out the hard way since Weiss hadn't return her messages and had come up with very little; other than it ticked off a lot of people at the SDC.

"Remember when I inherited the estate of my fifth cousin just before our last mission?" Weiss asked the three as they all sat down at the table. While she stared down at her drink, the others were listening intently.

"The one you never even heard of; yeah what's that got to do with it?" Yang asked back, not seeing the connection. Ruby kneed her and motioned for the Schnee to keep going.

"One of the things that I got was some shares of the SDC that had been in his family since the beginning of the company," answered the young woman and that caused some confused looks to come from the assembled.

"I thought all shares of the SDC belonged to the Schnee?" inquired Blake as she remembered reading about it years ago; back when she had still been with the White Fang.

"They are; though the story behind them is a bit complicated so I have to start at the beginning. My Grandfather was not a wealthy man and had been a miner; also having some experience at hunting Grimm though only the women in our family can use their semblances to their maximum potential. When he tried to start the SDC, he couldn't get any loans from the banks to he went to the family to raise funds to open his dust mines; the Schnee being a much larger clan than they are now. In return for those giving him money, he gave them shares in the company so that they could be paid back in dividends over time. Those shares have been out there this entire time and not under the control of Jacques and Whitley though they do possess the majority," Weiss explained to the group and Blake seemed to grasp the meaning while the other two sisters were still somewhat confused; not having a real understanding of how the business world worked.

"Which you then used to seize partial control of the SDC," the Faunus stated in more of an effort to give clarity to Ruby and Yang on the subject.

"So you just went to every relative you had and they gave you their shares," Yang said more as a statement than a question. Weiss however shook her head since it was a bit more complicated as well as more to the story.

"After I left our team, I went back to Atlas and went through the official records on who my Grandfather sold shares to; then tracking down every relative I could find. Because of Jacques and the White Fang, many of them had left Atlas and even changed their names; though I was able to find a few," said the Schnee before she finished her glass; getting up to pour herself another one.

"Which they gave to you I assume; though what about the rest?" Ruby asked, now engrossed in the story.

"Some gave me their shares because of my status as a war hero and wanting nothing more to do with the Schnee; however, more than a few wanted lien for their shares and some had come under the control of certain banks because the relatives had died without clear heirs or in debt. Thus I had to dish out a lot of lien," Weiss said as she recalled the memory of being frustrated during that time.

"Where did you get the money? You were living with us back then and taking missions from Beacon to get by like the rest of us," said the older blonde sister as she held out her glass for more of the juice; finding it quite good.

"Remember how we saved the students at Haven Academy all those years ago during their Family Day celebration? One of those people we saved happened to be the owner of Mistral's largest bank and he loaned me a lot of lien to buy the stock. I just had to repay him with the built up dividends that had collected in Atlas over the years which I did. Once I had everything, I marched into the Boardroom and announced that I was now partial owner of the company," informed Weiss as she smiled at the memory of Jacque's face when she had shown him the paperwork authenticating her control. While Whitley kept his face neutral, the rage of the older Schnee was beyond satisfying.

"Why didn't they pick up what you were doing beforehand? That many shares going to one person all of a sudden had to have set off a few alarms," Blake put forth as the picture became clearer on what Weiss had done. While Ruby had been angry at the time, Blake had been proud that her friend was trying to take control of her family's company; though she kept it to herself.

"The SDC was hurt badly by the war and our profits had been greatly diminished to the point where Jacques was too distracted in keeping things afloat; thus I was able to do what I need to do without him interfering," explained the silver-haired Huntress.

"Speaking of which; we really do need to find out who is trying to kill you. Do you have any ideas?" Ruby asked in an effort to get back the matter at hand. While she wanted to know more about Weiss's involvement with the SDC, they still had a bigger problem that needed to come first.

"Kind of but we need to negate the obvious suspects first so that we can move forward with this; which is why we are taking a small trip tomorrow to visit a place outside of Mantle," Weiss told the group and they all looked at one another in confusion.

"What's there that is going to help us," inquired the scythe-wielding Huntress with concern as she noted the Schnee's apprehensive look on her face.

"Family,"

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	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **I am still looking for a Beta to edit this story; anyone who is interested, please contact me. I also want to thank all those who read and leave reviews; I appreciate all of them. I really do want them though for this chapter since I have a character reveal in this one and want to know what you think of my portrayal.**

Weiss was moody.

That was at least in both Blake's and Yang's opinion as they drove through Mantle to get to their destination.

They had gotten up early to make the trip; though they did have a nice breakfast in the morning which Weiss had catered. The meal itself had consisted of some pretty fancy omelets, hash browns, local fruit, and even cookies for Ruby. It seemed that Weiss partially owned a local restaurant that was available to deliver the minute she called; which she seemed to rely on to eat on more than a few occasions. It was when their meal arrived that they all noticed that her mood had somewhat soured from the night before though she wasn't being hostile towards them; though she did seem to snap at Yang when the blonde made a bad pun. After Ruby made her sister stay silent, the Schnee informed them of the route they were to take though she had yet to be specific on the destination itself. The plan was to visit the place and then head back to the house where they would go over their next move; just in case their visit didn't amount to anything being learned.

They had actually slept pretty good inside Weiss's house; though it had been a bit cold until the fire they started managed to resonate heat to the rest of the place. While Blake and Yang had taken one of the guest rooms, which happened to be as big as two of their rooms back on Patch, Ruby had practically forced her former partner to sleep in her own room instead of the basement where her office was; taking the room next to it so that she was close on hand. The Schnee had protested until she realized that even she was tired after the events of the last few days and reluctantly agreed; even letting the others make sure her room was secure enough and having her door stay open. The three also took turns on keeping watch for the night with Ruby taking the first one and the other two following. Ruby had spent the time patrolling the grounds and watching through the various windows, Yang had watched a little television on Weiss's state of the art entertainment system while Blake read; staying awake along with her girlfriend. While there was a chance that something could have happened, it was a quiet night.

As they drove, Weiss seemed to get gloomier; as if she was about to do something she was dreading. While Yang and Blake were clueless about what was wrong, besides from the obvious situation, Ruby had some suspicion on what could be wrong; especially with the clue of Weiss mentioning that they were visiting family. Out of the three of them, the red-cloaked Huntress knew the most about her friend; things being revealed about during their years together during the war. There had been times on the front lines, in places like Vacuo and Mistral, which Weiss had opened up about her life before meeting Ruby at Beacon. It was then that Ruby realized that she had been blessed with a loving family; even with some of the darker secrets that had been kept from her. It was more than tempting to convince the Schnee that there was no point to this trip, if her suspicions were correct on their destination, but also knew that there was a chance that this meeting needed to happen. During her long separation from Weiss, Ruby had come to understand that she should have helped her reconcile the issues she had with her past; instead of acting the way she did.

"Did we just enter Vale?" Yang all of a sudden asked in a confused tone as she made the turnoff Weiss had instructed her to do once they left Mantle proper. It was out of nowhere that they entered a whole lot of green that should not be this far north.

At first, they had been traveling across tundra that had patches of snow when they suddenly entered a tunnel and were surrounded by vegetation in the form of plants not known to this part of the world. There also seemed to be trees going alongside a paved road that led to a large complex ahead of them; resembling Vale architecture. Looking out the window, Blake could see that the looked to be a stone wall though it was hard to see through the trees; that appeared to be rather thick. Overhead, the sun shined down upon the vehicle and the air almost seemed to be warmer now; though Mantle was a little more warm compared to Atlas given that it was farther south on the continent. As they approached the main building, it almost resembled a resort that they had once attended years ago; just after the final defeat of Salem. The orange color that lined the stone buildings had white canopies that helped shield large patio areas from the sun with a large parking lot right in front. There were more trees and gardens that lined the perimeter with what looked to be guests as well as personnel going about their business.

"I think I know this place; isn't this that famous rehab center for the rich and famous?" Blake inquired as Yang parked her car in the guest section.

"It is; the elite from all Four Kingdoms come here when they have a problem so that it stays out of the public eye," Weiss explained as they got out of the car and headed to the main part of the complex. Given her tone, she was definitely in some sort of mood though she was at least polite in her answer.

"Why are we here? Do you have a problem we should know about?" inquired the blonde and she almost flinched at the glare her sister was now giving her; though Weiss seemed to have ignored her and walked towards the entrance.

They entered the building and found themselves in a large reception area; reminiscent of an actual resort. The floor was made of an ugly yellow tile what the walls were a light brown hardwood though the corners of the room seemed to be made of stone. Overhead were a series of headlamps to illuminate everything though the stained glass windows that lined the upper parts of the reception area had the day sun shining through; not to mention the skylights with two of them in between the lamps. The walls had pictures of various scenery depicting nature while potted plants were at located at certain places with two on either side of the door; the plants being palms that were native to Vacuo. There was a few recliners with a large couch off to the right as you walked in; a light grey color with a black coffee table in front of them. Facing the entrance was the front desk that was enclosed with the only way in being a door off to the side; another one behind the young woman who manned the station. Dressed in a white nurse's uniform though she wore pants instead of a skirt, the blonde smiled as Weiss and the rest of her friends approached.

"Hello; are you checking in or visiting? If you are checking in, did you make an appointment?" asked the nurse as she stood there and eyed the attire of the new arrivals. While Weiss had worn something more formal than her combat skirt, a white pantsuit with her weapon back in the car, the others were in their usual Huntress garb.

"Visiting actually; I am here to see Willow Schnee," Weiss told the women in a tone that almost seemed downcast to everyone else. While Yang was somewhat confused by the name since she had never heard of that particular Schnee before, Blake's eyes widened while Ruby hissed to herself at the drama that was to come.

"Your name and relation to Mrs. Schnee?" inquired the nurse as she checked the computer in front of her to see if the patient was taking visitors. She knew the woman quite well and understood that only blood relatives were allowed to see her.

"I am Weiss Schnee and she is my mother," the Huntress declared with a slight depressed tone of voice; as if she had been dreading this meeting. All three of her companions looked at one another in alarm though only Ruby knew the whole story when it came to the relationship between mother and daughter.

"This is a surprise and I can see her in you; well you are in luck since Willow is taking visitors at the moment and is out in the garden for her afternoon meditation. I'll have someone escort you," informed the receptionist as she pressed a button with another nurse appearing a few seconds later. This one though was a bit older and wearing a skirt; motioning to follow her through the door that just opened.

"I don't think I've even seen your mother before," Yang remarked as they followed the nurse though the corridor; passing another staff and patients along the way. Not once in all the years that she knew her did Weiss ever mention her mother to the group as a whole.

"It's complicated," was all that Weiss said and the resentment in her voice was well detected by all those around her. Yang was about to ask another question when the sharp look from Ruby silenced her.

They went through a series of hallways until they got to a door that led them outside; to what was a rather large garden area. There was a field of green grass, trimmed neatly, that was surrounded by a wall of hedges; though not tall enough to block any view. There were also a scattering of flower beds with different types of species in circle type setup with red brick separating the grass from the soil. The area seemed to take up the entire back of the complex with a line of trees standing in front of the same wall that surrounded the resort; all native to Vale. Blake could see security patrolling with dogs and assumed that they were thare of different reasons; to protect the patients and to make sure no one tried to make a run for it. While one could walk on the grass, there was a yellow brick road that provided a pathway through the green with many different branch-offs to take one to somewhere else. Off in the distance to their right looked to be a tennis court and pool area while the one to the left headed to another set of buildings that could be anything. Currently, they were heading to what appeared to be a large canopy area with chairs which a single occupant was; seated on the grass in the shade.

"Mrs. Schnee; you have a guest," announced the nurse as they approached the backside the seated woman. When she turned her head to view the new arrivals, which was when they got a good look at her with Yang seeing that this was Weiss's mother.

"Well; now this is a surprise," said Willow Schnee neutrally as she rose from the grass and stared at her daughter. The nurse then left with mother and daughter facing one another; the other three Huntresses hanging back a little.

Standing just a bit taller than Weiss, though only by an inch or two, the older woman was almost a spitting image of what her daughters would look like if they were much older; and with wrinkles. While Jacques looked rather well for his age, Willow appeared a little more haggard which might be because of the alcohol she drank; though only Ruby knew from Weiss about the alcohol addiction the older woman had. Even with her aged face, her skin was just as pale as her daughters and she shared their blue eyes; though Blake could see the weight in them as if she had gone through a lot in her years. Unlike Weiss and Winter, Willow had chosen to have her hair short with it going just above her shoulders and none the Huntresses could tell if it was grey because of her age or was just natural; it also seemed to be uncombed as if the woman had just woken up a little while ago and not bothered brushing it. Currently, she was dressed in a white bathrobe though one could see that she was still in her pajamas; a purple color with green slippers.

"Hello Mother," greeted Weiss though it was hard to put out the words to do so; especially the mother part. The older Schnee noted that however and smirked at her daughter; though not really in a mocking way.

"So I am still "mother" to you? Thought that particular relationship between us was gone void like the one with your father," stated Willow almost mockingly as she turned and went to take a seat; still facing the young woman. While Blake and Yang shared a concerned look, Ruby was just staring intently at the two silver-haired women.

"That man is not my father," snapped Weiss without thought; almost raising her voice at the woman. Instead of getting bad though, Willow just gave her daughter a bemused look while slightly chuckling.

"I am sorry Weiss but Jacques is your father; though I wish I could say that I had you out of wedlock. His blood goes through your veins as mine do no matter how much you want to deny it," chastised the older woman as she leaned back in her chair and met the glare coming from the other Schnee. On the small table next to her chair was a picture of orange juice with two empty glasses, a bagel, and a couple of sliced apples on a plate.

"This was a mistake," Weiss muttered offhandedly and contemplated walking away. She had regretted coming to this place and had planned to avoid it when she first learned about Willow being admitted here.

"Sit down Weiss; quit acting like a child," Willow commanded firmly and the daughter didn't realize that her butt was on the seat until it was too late. The other three visitors weren't sure what to do and let them have some space; though Ruby was tempted to do something.

"You are looking well," Weiss lied in a pleasant tone after there was an awkward silence between the two.

"You were never a good liar to me Weiss; I look horrible," stated the older woman as she made a small laugh and poured herself some juice. She also poured her daughter a glass and ignored her when she tried to say she was fine.

"You….look older," the daughter said in all truthfulness as she studied her mother; realizing how much she had changed over the years. Come to think of it, Weiss couldn't even remember the last time they had talked; though it had to be before she had escaped the mansion to rejoin Team RWBY in Haven.

"I do , don't I? I didn't realize until I had stopped drinking after coming to this place; which I suppose I must thank your father for," Willow said as she sipped her juice and noted the uneasiness of her daughter's companions. They had moved to under the canopy but were trying to look like they were focusing on other things; though the youngest of the three seemed to be glaring at her.

"He made you come here?" Weiss asked, surprised since her mother's drinking had gone on for years without him lifting a finger.

"Pretty much; we got into a fight while I was drunk and almost killed him by setting the south wing on fire. Apparently, there was some fire dust in the room and I used a glyph to set it off," informed Willow as she smiled at the shocked expression on her daughter's face.

"I wasn't aware you could use the family's semblance," an astounded daughter said as she simply started at her mother with wide eyes.

"I am a Schnee by blood Weiss; I just never bothered to use it. I am pretty sure Whitley could use his if he gave it some effort; the males can still use the family semblance though it is a bit harder for them. My father could use his and it protected him when he had worked in the mines before the SDC," educated the mother as she leaned back in her chair; remembering the years when her father had still been alive.

"I see," was all that the younger Schnee could say; realizing that she had just learned something today. She wondered what other things about her mother she still did not know about.

"So, I imagine you are here about the attacks on you?" inquired Willow; wanting to get to the point of the visit.

"You've known" Weiss asked back; though it was more of a statement than a question.

"It made the news; I thought about contacting you but figured there was no point," the woman simply answered with a shrug; as if it were a trivial thing.

"Someone has been trying to kill your daughter and you haven't even bothered to call to see if she was alright?" Yang asked her with anger rising; Ruby also becoming enraged though she simply glared at the mother.

"What would have been the point? I have no doubt that Weiss would have ignored my messages given our history," answered Willow; again with a shrug.

"Even if your husband might be the one trying to kill her?" Blake demanded to know; now becoming angry as well. Ruby was still staying silent though Yang noted that her sister was shaking in rage.

"Ahh, now we get to the crux of why you are here; didn't think it was out of leisure. Jacques Schnee is many things but not even he would contemplate murdering his own child; it's one of his very few redeeming qualities," stated Willow to the group and noted their skepticism.

"How can you be sure?" Weiss asked quietly; her mind a mix of thoughts at the moment

"Because you are; you are here to confirm what you already knew. I can testify that Jacques is just as concerned about what is happening to you since he has the most to lose if you die," explained the mother as she took another sip of her juice.

"Why? If Weiss dies, then things will be easier for him," Ruby stated; speaking up for the first time. Her voice was flat and she was still giving the older Schnee a sharp look.

"No they wouldn't; he would get all the blame and Winter would make his life Hell giver her new position. I have to say that my husband and Whitley are the last people who want you dead right now; though there are others at the SDC that could be responsible which I am sure you already thought of," Willow said to Weiss and it seemed like she was talking more about the weather than a life or death situation; which Ruby found annoying.

"Still doesn't excuse the fact that you have done nothing," Yang said angrily; though she could see the logic behind the words.

"You are going to find Ms. Xiao Long that things are far more complicated than they appear. I have no illusions that I was a good mother in any way and my only comfort is that my two daughters have grown to be fine women absent of my contribution into their lives. Like I said to Winter months ago when she visited me, I am proud of you all and I even have hopes for Whitley which is why I still stay married to Jacques; even if he is a bastard," said the older Schnee woman to the group with a bit of mirth in her voice.

"You know who they are?" Weiss asked her mother though she should not have been surprised given their popularity.

"I watch the news; I know full well who your teammates are and have to admit that seeing them in person is far different than on the television," answered Willow honestly.

"So I pretty much came here for nothing," muttered Weiss though it was nice to confirm that her own blood wasn't trying to kill her.

"I like to think it was nice to be able to see you; the only visitors I get are Whitley, Jacques, and his new bride Alicia. Poor girl; used by her parents and now forced into a loveless marriage where she has to be an incubator for heirs. I will try and help her and I am willing to bet that her parents will try and use her to influence Whitley," stated the mother and you could hear the twinge of sadness in her voice.

"Are her parents that bad?" Weiss asked her mother since she had yet to look into the Bonaparte family in depth; other than the basics.

"I've met them on more than one occasion and I have to say that your father better realize what he is letting into the SDC. While the husband Pierre is more or less ambitious crook, Antoinette is a vicious shark that I would never turn my back on; which I would advise you once this marriage in complete," informed Willow as she stood and stretched her legs. Weiss took the opportunity to stand as well; wondering if it was time to go.

"Well I have a group meeting in about an hour so I need to get ready. It was good seeing you Weiss and I hope we can do this again; though I hope under better circumstances. I wish you luck with the SDC and know that your grandfather, that old bastard, would probably be proud of you. Some advice though, never forget that as much as hate it, you are your father's daughter as much as you are mine. No amount of denial will change that; ever," and with that said Willow hugged her daughter, though Weiss did not return it, and walked away.

Weiss then turned and left as well; followed by her concerned friends.

 **Please Read and Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **A few of you have pointed out the grammatical errors I have been making and I am trying to fix them; so I do thank those who have pointed them out and ask for patience while I try to improve each chapter. I tried to fix my semi-colon issue this chapter so expect a lot less of them. Also, anyone want to be a pre-reader for this story please contact me.**

 **As for this chapter, I generally don't write this much drama so please let me know how I did. After this chapter, expect the plot to move forward a little more quickly in terms of the mystery of who is trying to kill Weiss as well as the Bumblebee Wedding.**

Blake heard Weiss even before entering the kitchen.

Walking into the room, she found the young woman hunched over a glass of wine with the bottle on the table next to her.

There was a general concern for Weiss amongst the three as they drove home given that their friend had not said a word. The silence emanating from Weiss was so bad that Yang was making every bad pun she could come up with in order to coax a response from the Schnee, which had failed miserably. When they arrived home, the young woman left the car before even Ruby could get out of her seatbelt and headed to her office in the basement. When Ruby tried to follow, she found that the door to the basement had been locked with Weiss telling her former partner to leave her alone. It was then that the red-cloaked Huntress was tempted to take her scythe and bust open the door in order to get Weiss to talk about what was obviously bothering her. However, Blake and Yang quickly persuaded Ruby that particular plan was a very bad one which could risk the Schnee to even more enclose herself. There was also the risk of Weiss ordering them away which would undo everything to rebuild their relationship in the last couple of days in a matter of minutes.

The three had discussed in detail over dinner on what could be done about their friend though nothing substantial could be come up with. While Ruby was all for trying to talk to Weiss and try and sooth her feelings, Blake had urged caution and wanted to let her be the first one to open up to the rest of them. Yang had been torn on who had the best idea on the right course of action and in the end, decided to be neutral. As she listened to both her fiancé and sister discuss what to do, she really wanted to go and take a swing at Willow Schnee right now. As much as she had issues with her own mother, this was now trivial compared to the woman who had birthed Weiss. After they had finished dinner, with Ruby leaving a plate outside the basement door for her friend, the rest of them discussed on their next course of action. Even they had to admit that Jacques and Whitley could no longer be considered suspects and thus had to consider someone else. They had brainstormed for several hours before heading off to bed with Ruby taking the first watch and then Yang. It was now Blake's turn which she had just came back inside the house after patrolling the grounds.

"I would ask if you were alright but both of us would know that would be pointless," Blake said to the other Huntress as she sat down opposite of her. The Faunus noted that the though the glass of wine was still partially full, the bottle was almost empty.

"Heh," was all that Weiss said as she took another drink of her wine and downed it in one gulp and placed the glass back on the table.

"You're lucky that Ruby already turned in for the night because she would not be able to hold back in seeing you like this. In fact, I am finding it pretty hard to give you some leeway but I think I understand what you are going through," Blake remarked and that earned her a glare from the Schnee who finally uttered some words.

"No you don't and I am really getting really tired of all three of you trying to compare your family situations with mine. I am the only one here who has a crappy family situation," Weiss stated to the other Huntress with venom in her voice. She then poured herself another glass full of wine and practically emptied the bottle of the red liquid.

"I think Yang and Ruby would disagree," countered the Faunus as she grabbed the bottle to see what kind of wine it was. Her eyes slightly widened as she recognized the brand and knew how expensive it was on the open market.

"Oh God, spare me the fake comparisons between me and them. Their situation is nothing like mine was. Contrary to their beliefs, Raven Branwen and Summer Rose were far better mothers compared to Willow Schnee," the white-haired Huntress argued back with a mix of emotions in her voice. Blake was glad that neither of the sisters was here to hear that since they would obviously object in some way.

"Now you really are drunk because Raven abandoned Yang to go lead a bunch of bandits," Blake argued back and seemed to be getting angry herself. As their voices started to get louder, it was only a matter of time before the other two occupants were woken by the quarrel.

"Raven had the sense to leave Yang to Taiyang; who was a great father to both the girls. Even Summer made sure that her daughter had that man as her father so that she could be raised in a loving environment while she went off to be some sort of hero. I didn't get any of that with my only true family leaving to join the military so that she could get away from that bastard Jacques. Thus I was left alone in a household where my mother drank herself to be happy and dealing with a scheming brother. Even you got a much better life than I did with the option of going back to your loving parents that were willing to accept you back. I had nothing," Weiss raged at the Faunus as she slammed her fist onto the table. Her hand then started to ache given that she did not have her aura raised at the time.

"So now you are wallowing in a bottle. That is real mature of you," Blake said with a slight trace of disgust in her voice. While a part of her understood the pain that Weiss was obviously in, she felt that this was going a bit overboard in the young woman feeling sorry for herself.

"I am far more mature than any of you. When I first attended Beacon, it was to make something of my life and show that I could make it in the world by doing something real. I wasn't a firecracker who charged into situations with her fists raised, a naïve child hoping to live out a fairytale where she was the hero, and a Faunus hoping redeem herself by protecting the weak. I understood the real world," Weiss said to the other table dweller as she fought to stand on her feet. The alcohol was starting to take its toll with the Schnee never being able to hold her liquor compared to the rest of them.

"You were a spoiled brat when you first attended Beacon which I recall correctly. Even when running from your family, you looked down on people because of the Schnee name. It was our team that put you on the right path and got back towards your life goal of being a Huntress," Blake told the other woman as she rose to her feet as well. Weiss's words had stung though there was a slight hint of truth to them.

"Maybe I was but can you blame me? I watched all of you flout your families while mine was nothing to brag about," the Schnee stated with a mix of jealously and resentment in her voice. Now Blake could understand the true reason for Weiss's anger and her feelings started to soften some.

"But you have family now," said a voice from doorway and both the young women turned to see Ruby as well as Yang standing there. Both were in their nightwear and appeared to indeed have been woken by the two arguing.

"You're not my family; you're my teammates," Weiss countered as she moved to get another bottle from the cabinet. There was a sudden flurry of rose petals as Ruby used her semblance to move quick enough to grab the white-haired woman's arm before she could reach for another bottle of wine.

"No, we four are family and not just friends. We entered Beacon together, fought together, mourned our fallen friends together, and triumphed together. Your pain is our pain and we are here for you whether you like it or not. That is what a family is for," stated the silver-eyed Huntress firmly as she then clasped her partner's hand and held it close to her chest. She then forced Weiss to look into her eyes to see that her words were real.

"Yeah, what Ruby says. You're another sister to me Weiss and I won't let you drown yourself into a bottle like this. Already have to deal with that when it comes to Uncle Qrow," Yang stated as she walked over and placed her hand on Weiss's shoulder. Blake did the same and the Schnee just stared at the three with her not sure what to say.

"You're all dolts," Weiss said to them with a heavy sigh and smiling ever so slightly with her now encouraged by the words coming from them. She then closed the cabinet door and they went back over to the table to sit back down.

"And so are you Snow Angel," Ruby said to the Schnee with her hand still clasped with the other Huntress's. Weiss just shook her head and smiled, though she started to feel a headache coming on from the effects of the alcohol.

She also started to feel something else and suddenly moved to the trash can to toss her cookies.

"Well that didn't take long," Yang said as they watched Weiss wretch into the trash can rather loudly.

"This is why we never were able to take her out drinking with us. Remember what happened in Patch when we celebrated Velvet and Cardin's wedding? Yang had to carry her to her room with Ruby having to stay next to her in the bathroom all night," Blake reminded the other two as she went over to see if she could whip something up to quell Weiss's stomach. Given that Yang had a tendency to be a heavy drinker at parties; the Faunus had to come up with a few hangover cures in the mornings afterwards.

"I'll be fine. I just didn't eat anything earlier before I started the bottle and this is a pretty rich wine compared to others," informed Weiss as she carried the trash over to the table and sat back down. It always amazed her how she could feel the aftereffects of alcohol right away instead of the next morning like normal people.

"Well we have some dinner still left so I'll fix you a plate. Just stay there," Ruby ordered as she stood up and went over to the refrigerator. She grabbed some roast beef and vegetables out of one of the containers and placed it in the microwave to heat up.

"Don't think I can eat since I am pretty sure it will just come back up," said the Schnee as she fought the urge to wretch again. She held her head low in order to fight off the headache though it seemed that Blake was coming along with her remedy.

"You need to eat since you haven't had anything since early this morning. Trust me, you will feel better soon," said the silver-eyed woman as she handed the food to her partner with a fork. Blake also finished her little concoction and made Weiss drink that first before eating anything.

"Oh my Lord, this is horrible," Weiss said as she drank from the glass full of a mixed colored liquid that Blake had given her. It was very sour and also creamy at the same time with Blake just smirking at her.

"But it's working isn't it?" asked the Faunus as she sat back down next to Yang. The blonde was smiling and laughing to herself in watching the scene given that Weiss had liked to berate Yang for drinking too much.

"Ehh," was all that Weiss could say as she refused to answer her friend. Truthfully, it was working though the taste was more revolting than Nora's first attempt to make a cake.

"By the way, dad called and he isn't sure he can get our deposit back on the Church rental. He might have to fly out to Menagerie to try and convince the Priest as well as get with your father to see if there are any more places to rent," Yang informed Blake as she remembered the text she had received arlier. While the Faunus nodded in understanding, Weiss was confused on what they were talking about.

"Why do you need to rent a Church?" inquired the white-haired Huntress as she ate a few bites of her food that got placed in front of her.

"It was for our wedding that was to be in a couple of weeks. We had everything set until we got word of the attempts on your life so we decided to postpone it for a while," answered Blake as she pulled out her phone to see if her own father left any messages. He was supposed to have canceled the caterers and sent out messages to the guests.

"Wait, you were getting married? I didn't know that," stated Weiss with a mix of confusion as well as guilt in her voice. She knew that the partners were engaged but that had happened while they still had been a team years ago.

"We sent out an invitation to you but you never responded so we assumed you didn't want to come," Yang said with a shrug though she was surprised that Weiss didn't know. The Schnee tried to think back to remember if she had gotten anything resembling a wedding invitation.

"Where did you send it because I didn't get anything," the Huntress told the other three as she began to think about possible options. She was starting to feel really guilty for her friends having to postpone their own wedding for her sake.

"I think it got sent to your sister since we had no clue where you were living. For some reason, you were not listed under the Atlas Directory," informed Ruby as she recalled being the one to having sent out the invitation personally. It was about that time that she really wanted to see Weiss and repair their broken relationship.

"Well that was probably why since my Sister is in control of Atlas's entire military at the moment. The invitation probably got lost in the shuffle of her everyday paperwork," explained the Schnee as an idea suddenly popped into her head. She would need to get her scroll that was still in her office in the basement.

"Where are you going?" Ruby asked her friend as Weiss then tried to get up by using her hands to push herself onto her feet. The silver-eyed Huntress went to help but was confused about the sudden actions.

"It's not fair that Blake and Yang have to cancel their own wedding plans for my benefit. This is why I think it's a good idea that we relocate to Menagerie so that they can still go through with it all. I am going to inform my assistant that I will be located there as well as make sure we can get the fastest transport since island is practically on the other side of the world," answered Weiss as she made her way with Ruby's help to the basement door. While Ruby was shocked by the news, the other two were also a mix of emotions.

"You don't have to do that Weiss; this is far more important," Yang objected as both she and Blake followed the two but Weiss just simply waved her off.

"No, you're wedding is far more important since it's something that you have been waiting for years now. Besides, what better place to keep me protected than Blake's home which is full of Faunus that actually like me," Weiss said to the three in trying to be both logical as well as understanding in terms of the current dilemma. She had watched the two partners go through their song and dance around their feelings for years with a desire to see it come out as a happy ending like in the fairytales.

"Thank you Weiss," was all that Blake could say as Tang grabbed her hand and gave it a happy squeeze. They had postponed it so many times now that they were starting to think they would never go through with it.

"Just go get your things ready and inform your parents to not cancel anything. If they need any money to cover any costs, just let me know and I will take care of it. Consider it my wedding gift to the both of you," said the Schnee once she and Ruby reached the stairs. She then had to fully concentrate while putting one foot forward going down each step though the pathway was well lit.

"That was really great of you," Ruby said to Weiss as they were now alone in the large basement office. The other two had gone off to pack as well as get in contact with their loved ones.

"It's what I should have been doing. The challenge will be getting something that can get us there quickly so that they can get this ceremony off without a hitch. I might have to call Winter to see if she can loan us a military aircraft," informed the Schnee as she went over to her desk and retrieved her scroll. She then sent out a text to Winter and expected a reply since her sister was probably still up doing a mountain of paperwork.

"Can she do that? I think that might be considered a waste of military resources," Ruby said as she sat in the other chair opposite from where Weiss now sat. The makeup of the basement office was slightly similar to the makeshift one back at the Atlas Military Headquarters though slightly more cramped as well as cluttered.

"Winter is known as the "Savior of Atlas" to a large part of the Kingdom so you would be surprised on how much she can now get away with. I am pretty sure she could make herself Queen at this point with very little objections," informed the Schnee as her scroll suddenly beeped which indicated that she had gotten a reply. Weiss smiled when her older sister agreed to help.

Though in a very unexpected way.

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	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

 **Sorry for the late updates but my work schedule as well as getting a PS4 kind of complicated my writing a bit. I should now be back to regularly updating this story and appreciate your patience; again all reviews are welcomed!**

Weiss would have kicked her sister if she had the chance.

Sitting against the wall of the cargo hauler next to her things, she did her best to ignore the chatter around her.

Currently, she and the rest of Team RWBY were crammed into the main hold of a transport heading to Menagerie. Winter managed to easily accommodate the Huntresses in order to get them to their destination without much hassle though they had to travel by two different means. While they had caught a quick flight from Atlas to Vale, the four had to endure a slightly slower one to the island nation. That came in the form of a large transport that was designed to move cargo across great distances without having to stop. Built and used in Vale just after the War started, it had provided supplies to the multiple fronts that the various militaries as well as Hunters needed. If one looked at it from afar, one could wonder if they were seeing a turtle that was somehow flying with two large propellers on the back of it. With a round central hull, the cockpit was small in the front with thrusters that acted like limbs which allowed it to take off in the first place. It was also green colored with a yellow bottom, as if someone were really trying to go with the turtle vibe.

The transport was carrying various medical supplies and other goods that Menagerie could not produce on their own. One of the first things to happen in the conclusion of the War was the establishment of formal communications as well as aid between various nations. That went especially for some part of Remnant where the fighting was the hardest which one of them was Menagerie when Adam and his allies fought Chief Belladonna's forces for basically the soul of the Faunus race. While Atlas and Vacuo helped deliver construction materials to help the Faunus rebuild, Mistral and Vale provided other resources. In return, the island nation sent trained personnel to the other Kingdoms which was why you saw Faunus Doctors working in Atlas and Mantle for the first time ever. Funny enough, Atlas had been the first to start sending aid to Menagerie as well as the first to establish a formal embassy before even Vale could do so. This was primarily because of the fact that the Kingdom's knights led by Specialist Schnee stood side by side with Chief Belladonna and his loyalists when Adam had led his final charge with Mercury's Grimm Riders against the outnumbered allied forces. Though the losses had been high, the creation of a new relationship between the two States had begun that day.

"So I wonder if Cardin and Velvet will bring the kids? I know Nora and Ren are bringing theirs," Yang asked out loud in an effort to talk about something else. For the last hour, she and Ruby had been playing "I Spy" given that they had many windows to the outside.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't since the kids now are picking up your thing for puns," Blake answered as she looked up from her book. Her head was on the blonde's shoulder, using it like a makeshift pillow.

"I think even Velvet is mad at you because of that and you should try to keep those at a minimum during the ceremony," advised Ruby from her spot next to Weiss across from the pair, who was on her scroll looking at the data Sara had sent her. Ruby had been tempted to order Weiss to put it away and socialize with the other three but decided against that once Yang had started with her puns.

"Everyone loves my puns," Yang told her sister defiantly as she looked her fiancé for support though even she gave her a sarcastic look.

"I am pretty sure Salem would have surrendered on the first day if you had thrown your puns at her," Weiss remarked blandly as she went over the latest figures of Bonaparte's last earnings as well as their current state.

"At least I can make a pun; when was the last time you ever told a joke?" Yang shot back, clearly starting to get annoyed. That caused Ruby and Blake to become alert since this reminded them of the old days when the other two had their fights.

"I don't need to make jokes since I actually have a life," countered the Schnee who still had yet to actually look up from her scroll. Her tone almost was reminiscent of the same arrogance she had been when they first met all those years ago.

"Oh yeah, I should be so jealous of you. Some life if someone is trying to kill you all the time," the blonde returned sarcastically and with a smirk. This time Weiss did take her eyes of her device and gave Yang a hard stare.

"I take it as a badge of honor that someone wants me dead since it means that I am doing something that is beneficial. Given that the only thing you have to deal with is a bunch of rudderless Grimm, I think I am the only one out of the two of us that is doing something meaningful with their lives," Weiss stated with a smirk of her own and Yang's eyes became reddened at that.

"At least I can still fight Grimm. When was the last time you entered a real battlefield and not some pathetic boardroom brawl with Daddy?" inquired Yang with a sneer and that caused the Schnee's eyes to now see red. If she had intended or not, the "daddy" comment stung when it came to Weiss.

"If you are trying to provoke a real fight then you need to remember that I kicked your sorry butt every time we sparred. You are just a blonde jock and thank whatever deity is listening that Blake is the brains for this coming union because you wouldn't last long once you left your daddy's house," the silver-hair young woman retorted snidely while staring at the other Huntress.

"What's that supposed to mean," snarled the blonde as she tried to get up, only to be stopped by Blake while Ruby was edging closer to Weiss.

"Alright that's enough. No one is to say anything until we land, that is an order," Ruby told everyone in the most intense tone that even Weiss couldn't argue. Both the silver and blonde haired Huntresses glared at one another one last time before looking away.

Funny enough, they ended up landing ten minutes later.

Walking down the back plank, the four were greeted to the sight of Menagerie in the middle of the day. The cement and metal ground was full of cargo and the smell of both the ocean as well as the exhaust was in the air. The airport was one of the newer sections of the island nation and the construction had been aided by Atlas just after the war had been concluded. Passing a series of landing pads for vertical takeoff transports, they carried their things while Faunus workers as well as human ones went about their work; everyone seeming to get along. Menagerie had a small number of humans living on the island now and they had been refugees from destroyed cities on the mainland coast. Things had been tense for a while at first between the two species but relations were getting better every day with mixed families starting to become a thing. Blake was recognized by a few of the workers with them moving out of her way politely and she smiled in thanks though she did not feel they needed to do so. As they approached the exit of the airport, they saw that there was someone to greet them.

"Hi mom," Blake greeted her mother before giving the older woman a hug. After they were done, Yang was pulled in for one as well.

"It's so good to see you honey," Kali told her daughter as she once again hugged her daughter even though she had already done so. Blake hugged back while looking embarrassed though Yang just smirked at her.

"Hi mom," Yang greeted the woman and Kali just laughed at the nickname since it was a common thing now.

"Ruby, I am happy to see you after all this time and it's good that you Weiss are here as well since it has been a while. My husband was very appreciative of what you have done for us in terms of the Dust deals," the older Faunus said to the Schnee and the other three Huntresses looked at Weiss in confusion.

"I do business with Chief Belladonna as well as have several contracts between Menagerie and the SDC," Weiss explained to the other three with Kali nodding, which earned a surprise look from Blake since her parents had never mentioned being in contact with her friend. Like all their immediate loved ones, they had known about the feud between Ruby and Weiss.

"Well you're not here to talk about business but to have a wedding. Your father is right now arranging things with the minister along with Taiyang," informed Kali as the group then started to head towards the city. Given that everything was still compact on the island, it wasn't a far walk between the airport and the city itself.

"Have any of the guests shown up yet? Velvet was going to help with the dress and Cardin was providing the catering through his business," inquired Blake as she, Yang, and her mother were in the front while Ruby as well as Weiss stayed in the back. They walked alongside the grey paved road with the jungle trees on either side while vehicles were passing by with goods in the back of them.

"They arrived this morning with their children and they are such lovely things. I am looking forward to when I have grandchildren like that," said the mother with a smile while Blake and Yang looked slightly embarrassed by the comment. The subject of children had indeed come up but they weren't sure how that was going to work just yet.

"Let's hope they all take after Blake since having one dragon in the family is enough right now," Weiss commented with a smirk which prompted Yang to look back with a glare. Ruby then angrily nudged the Schnee in the side in order to shut her up before the argument reignited.

"It's been a long trip," was all that the younger Belladonna said to her mother when Kali looked confused about what Weiss just said. The older woman remembered the last time they Team had been on the island and just nodded her head.

Construction was going on in the distance when they entered the city proper with what looked to be an expansion. Given that the Kingdoms were all now sharing technology and resources, the people of Menagerie were now able to build beyond their traditional borders. The barren landscape was being transformed into fertile land with pockets having new residences for the increased population. The large Grimm horde that used to threaten the Faunus had been practically removed now though there were still small bands of them on the outer edges of the island. Every now and then, hunting parties would go out and clear any of the creatures that strayed too close to the new settlements. Weiss had known about the progress of the new expansions for some time now since she had provided all the dust required as part of her deals with Blake's father. There were even plans for the SDC, under Weiss's management, to send people out along with the locals to scout out possible areas for dust mining. While Menagerie had small quantities of the vital substance within the city limits, it was hoped that there were larger deposits that could better provide the island state.

"Ahh you got here before we could meet you at the airport," Chief Belladonna said as he and Taiyang came out of the church that the group had just walked up to. It was a small building though with a bell tower and painted white.

"Hey girls," Taiyang said to his daughters as he went to give them hugs and pretty much looking the same as the last time Weiss had seen him though only older. There was a slight squeaking sound coming from one of his legs which was an artificial limb due to a battlefield injury from the War.

"Did you want me to look at that?" inquired Ruby as she stared down at the leg with a slight twinge of guilt in her voice. Weiss wasn't surprised to detect it given that her former partner still blamed herself for what happened that day when he lost the limb when he saved Ruby from Cinder.

"Nah, its fine. I just need to oil the thing and it needs to get used to the climate," her father stated with a dismissive wave of his hand. The limb was made up of his lower leg and was quite noticeable even from afar.

"It's good to see you Mr. Xiao Long," Weiss greeted as she stepped forward and offered her hand to the person she had not seen in a while. The last time they had engaged in conversation was when he had escorted her to the airport; which was an awkward but pleasant trip.

"You don't need to be formal with me Weiss, I am happy to see you are doing alright," Taiyang said to the Schnee with a warm smile as he pulled her forward and practically gave her a bear hug. When Weiss first came to stay in the Xiao Long-Rose household, he had treated her as if she were part of the family and even told her she would always be welcomed despite the huge fight with Ruby.

"Hey, am I going to get a hug?" asked a voice from the back and everyone turned to see the familiar face of Qrow Branwen standing there. While his attire had not changed much in the years, he was a little less shabby and quite sober.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby yelled as she practically fazed into his arms with a hug. Yang also went over to give her uncle a hug while Blake also greeted the man.

"How'd you convince the Headmaster to let you come this early?" Yang asked the older Hunter after stepping back from the man.

"Ozpin owed me some vacation time so I decided to take it. Sun is covering for me until the break begins and will be here on time," informed the teacher as he name-dropped one their oldest friends. Sun and Neptune were now teachers at the newly rebuilt Beacon Academy along with a few other of their former comrades.

"Mr. Branwen," welcomed Weiss politely with mixed reactions on seeing the man again. She had avoided him since the fight two years ago since she had been sure he would have sided with Ruby.

"Weiss, been a while and good to see you still kicking. We at Beacon are more than willing to offer our help if you need it when trying to find out who is trying to kill you," Qrow told the Schnee with what seemed like genuine sincerity. She was surprised by his tone though she shouldn't have been since the Schnee had more than proved to the man that she was not like the other members of her family.

"Speaking of which, we're making sure to watch if any sudden newcomers arrive on Menagerie so you don't have to worry about looking over your shoulders," informed Ghira Belladonna to the silver-haired Huntress as they all headed back to the family household. Rooms had already been prepared for the four women with the other guests staying at one of the hotels in the city itself.

"I appreciate that and I am sorry to let this hang over the coming ceremony," Weiss said to the man with an apologetic tone in her voice. The last thing she wanted was to let this be a shadow over the wedding itself.

"Please, after years of having to deal with the drama of the War this is nothing. I am just glad that whoever is behind this has not succeeded," said the Menagerie leader as he dismissed the younger woman's concerns. While it wasn't a surprise that someone would want Weiss dead for all the good she had done, he had hoped that karma would have befallen her father right now.

"Have you narrowed the list of suspects?" Taiyang asked after they arrived at the Belladonna residence a few moments later. The large house remained more or less the same after all of these years though a few more rooms had been added along with some parts rebuilt.

"Kind of though it's no smaller than we first started. The only ones we know who are not trying to kill Weiss are Jacques and Whitley," answered Ruby as they all entered the building. Kali immediately let them to the sitting room that had more than enough space for the whole group though she left to get some tea.

"Yeah that's what me and Oz thought too. We considered that it might be one of your old enemies thinking that you would be easy to pick off since you had been separated from your team," Qrow said as he joined in on the conversation. While Winter had not formally requested Beacon's help in the matter and would never considering her relationship with Qrow, the staff had taken upon themselves to help anyways.

"The only two former enemies we have left alive are either married to one of Beacon's teachers or running an orphanage in Haven. I don't think Emerald and Neo would suddenly begin holding a grudge after all of these years," Weiss put forth in an effort to dismiss that particular theory.

"We even checked up on any ex-members of Adam's people that is up to no good and even found them being completely passive as well as moved on with their lives," Blake continued as agreed with her friend. The four had discussed the issue back in Atlas before taking Winter's quick flight to Vale.

"So it might be all connected to what Weiss is doing now," Kali stated as she returned with two pots of tea and eight cups. She then poured each person theirs and handed it to them one at a time.

"We're assuming so and are looking at the other Board Members," Ruby stated and the older woman nodded. She was about to say something else when there was a loud clang from the front door.

Kali went to see who it was and returned a few minutes later with an envelope in her hands; which she then gave to Weiss. The Schnee, surprised as the rest of them about the letter, thank Kali as she took it and immediately opened it. As she read it to herself, Weiss's face began to immediately darken until she was finished. Ignoring the perplexed looks from the assembled, the white-haired Huntress crumpled it and dropped it onto the ground before storming off. Ruby picked it up quickly and uncurled the letter to see what had made her friend become so angry with the Huntress's face now becoming enraged as well. Handing the letter to Blake before running to catch up with Weiss, Blake's face became concerned before showing the contents of it to the rest of them. It was only a single sentence long and the envelope had no returning address thus it could not be traced right away. However, Qrow was already planning to contact Beacon to see if it could.

 _Don't think you are safe on Menagerie, I can get to you there just as I could in Atlas._

 _Sincerely, the person who wants you dead._

Their nemesis had finally made contact.

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	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

 **This chapter was written in a hurry since the old one had been wiped out because of a computer problem. I tried my best to edit so please forgive me if there is more than a few errors. Also, more than a couple of you have guessed on who is trying to kill Weiss and all I can say is interesting theories. Also, I have no clue about what happens in planning a wedding other than what I have seen on television so please indulge me if I made some mistakes.**

Ruby waited while Blake finished dressing in the changing room.

Next to her sat Kali, who was more than obviously ecstatic, and a bored Neo who was silent as ever.

They had been in the small shop for most of the morning with Blake trying on various wedding dresses for the ceremony in a few days. Since it was apparently unlucky for Yang to be here to help her fiancé, it had fallen to Ruby to help along with Neo who had come as well. The short and silent young woman had only arrived this morning with Sun, coming from Vacuo, who was across town with Weiss in helping her sister pick out her attire. While she couldn't voice her opinion out loud, Neo was still able to offer her view by simple thumbs up or thumbs down to make her viewpoint known. Ruby had tried to be a neutral third party to the trio of judges with everything that Kali liked hated by Neo or vise-versa, but it was becoming too hard to do that since all the styles seemed foreign to her. When it came to special events that required certain attire, Ruby was nowhere near her teammates and often had to rely on them for help since she had a tendency to pick something out of touch.

While she would have wanted to stay with Weiss, still paranoid that the Schnee would still try and make a run for it, Ruby trusted Yang and Sun to prevent that. The minute that the letter had been read out loud, Weiss had went for her things and informed the group that she was leaving so that she wouldn't let her problem interfere with the wedding. It had to take Ruby actively threatening the Schnee, which she hated having done, to get Weiss to agree to stay; though she was not happy at her at all the rest of the night. It was suggested the next morning that the letter could have been a ploy for Weiss to leave Menagerie in order to get to her easier which was certainly possible. Even so, Qrow was now contributing to the Schnee's security and also contacting his people in various places on Remnant to see if they knew anything. As for the letter itself, it came from outside the island nation and from Atlas itself where Winter's people were now trying to find information on it.

"How about this one?" Blake asked as she emerged from the changing room in a tone that she was getting annoyed. She stood there with a long white wedding gown that was strapless with the backside exposed.

"I think it looks a little too silky," Kali said as she studied it while Neo just shook her hand as she thought it was iffy. Ruby thought it looked good but knew that in the end, her opinion didn't really count in this case.

"How can something look too silky? It actually feels kind of nice on my skin compared to the others," Blake said to her mother as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Ruby, Kali, and Neo sat in chairs facing Blake with a small changing room off to the side so that she has some privacy. Currently, it was just the four of them alone in the medium sized room with the shopkeeper looking through her inventory for more dresses. The floors were a bright red carpet as soon as you entered the shop while the walls were a light brown hardwood. The room was well lit with not only the sun shining in from a few windows that were open but the large chandelier that was directly above them. The shop was run by a friend of Blake's family and had closed the store for the day so that they could have exclusive access to the help without having to wait because of other customers. They had been at this for about three hours now and Ruby was starting to get hungry a little.

"Yes but it is a little too revealing," stated the mother as she got up to help her daughter adjust the chest area of the dress. The younger Faunus's cheeks slightly reddened at how much her mother was getting a little too personal with the adjustments.

"I don't think that's going to matter to Yang," Ruby said as she looked over to see Neo smirking at the mother-daughter thing. It amazed her that after all of these years, the younger girl still looked the same as she did back when they had first met including having the same attire.

It also still felt a little strange to have Neo here as their friend after having been enemies with the mute all those years ago. It was also perplexing to a few in the remaining group of friends how she was married to Sun of all people. If Cardin and Velvet's marriage had blossomed out of tragedy, Neo and Sun's came about out a weird love that not even they could explain. They had met during the Siege of Vacuo when the younger woman had saved the Monkey-Faunus's life from Hazel. After that, they had become inseparable and it was even a surprise that Sun could understand Neo in some way; as if he could read her mind. Every time she gave him a look or made a particular motion, he knew what she wanted. They had been the third couple to become married in the aftermath of the War though the ceremony had been a rather bizarre affair in terms of how it was run. It was also where Sun and Blake had renewed their friendship after relations became strained when the present couple had become open with theirs.

"Yes but a wedding dress must also be able to be passed down from family member to family member thus be able to adapt to all styles. If my old dress hadn't been torched when our home had been damaged during the war, I would have insisted Blake wear mine," explained Kali with a trace of sadness in her voice. Blake placed a reassuring hand on her mother's shoulder and the two Belladonna's had a private family moment with the two onlookers touched.

"Well with the peace, I am pretty sure Blake and Yang will be able to pass down their dresses to their daughters; if they have any," stated the red-cloaked Huntress to the older woman as she wondered if she would have this issue if she and Weiss made that leap. Of course, that was hinged on the Schnee still having feelings for Ruby in that way though they had yet to get that personal as of late.

"I think we are getting ahead of ourselves since Yang and I are still discussing children. Both of us our active Huntresses so raising a family is not in the game plan yet," stated the Bride-to-be in an effort to move the conversation away from an extremely personal issue.

The subject of future children had been a slightly sore issue between the couple with each having a different opinion on the matter. While Blake was open to the concept of settling down and raising a child, the blonde had been a little more hesitant based on her own experiences. As much as she hated it, Yang had to admit that there was more of her mother Raven in her than she liked and that made her a little scared to even have a kid. Blake had tried to reassure her fiancé that she would be a great parent and that she was a far better person than her mother. She also reminded Yang that she also had her Father's blood going through her veins and that Taiyang had been a great father to both she as well as Ruby. Their situation was also different too with both she and Yang getting married properly rather than Raven having become pregnant without actually being really with Taiyang in the official sense.

"Well at some point honey, you will need to settle down. You are going to find that with age comes a body that will reflect that," Kali told her daughter in a motherly way in an effort to remind Blake that she was getting older. There was also the fact that the she was still worried for her daughter given that Blake had nearly died on more than one occasion during the War.

"Speaking of settling down, I was thinking I might move to Atlas when everything is stable," Ruby announced to Blake and the other two women in an effort to change the subject. The last time the subject of retiring from Hunting had come up by a parent, Yang and her father has stopped talking to one another for a week.

"I thought you were going to try and take things slow with Weiss given that you two have a lot to work out still?" inquired the younger Cat- Faunus as her mother began fidgeting with the dress some more with Blake feeling a little uncomfortable. All of them were ignoring the smirk coming from Neo which was directed at Ruby.

"We are but to do that, I am able to spend more time with her once the assignment is done. I could always do missions in Atlas for a while and give you guys a chance to do things as newlyweds," stated the red-cloaked Huntress sheepishly in the hopes that Blake would understand. Since the Faunus was the most level-minded of the couple, she had decided to speak to her about it first.

"Have you talked to her about it yet?" Kali asked since she knew full well the story behind the partner's relationship. During the battles on Menagerie, the mother had come to know the rest of Team RWBY after spending time with them.

"Not yet; I was hoping to talk to her about it after the wedding when we head back to Atlas for the coming meeting," answered Ruby as Kali finished her adjusting. It looked a little better on Blake now and even Neo liked it with her giving a thumbs up.

Across town, Weiss was giving a thumbs down on everything Yang tried on.

As much as she wished she didn't have to be here, Weiss agreed to Blake's request that she accompany the blonde and the Monkey-Faunus. She was still wondering if she should leave Menagerie and head to home in order to concentrate on finding who was trying to kill her since the message had spooked her. The letter had come from outside the island through a special but untraceable courier so it was assumed that it was meant to scare her from leaving the protection of Menagerie. It did make sense and Weiss couldn't deny that fact as the arguments were presented to her on why she should stay. She also got the feeling that she might not have been allowed to leave and secretly wondered how far Ruby would go to make sure she was safe under her watch. As much as she hated to admit it, Weiss had gone on too long without sparring with anything other than a training bot. Thus she was now unsure how she stacked against the rest of her friends right now.

"Just because Sun wore an orange suit at his wedding in order to match the sherbert theme he and Neo were going for, doesn't mean you have to," Weiss chastise Yang as she pinched her nose when the blonde came out of the dressing room with the suit on. Not only was it an ugly orange, it was a size too small and tight in the chest area.

"But Blake thought the dress looked cool on Sun; I remember her saying so and liked the idea of wearing it at mine. Even you said it was a good pick for him," defended the blonde with the Schnee simply rolling her eyes. Sun was about to defend Yang when Weiss shot him a look that told him not to speak a word.

The three were currently standing in a shop that was though smaller than the one the others were in, it had both wedding dresses as well as suits. The carpet was brown and appeared to be hand woven while the walls were a black oak that had to have been imported from outside the island given that the wood was native to Menagerie. The walls were also decorated with photos of the shop owner, a Sheep-Faunus, in various places on Remnant which he had traveled to in his youth. The store was also divided in two with one side featuring suits of all types and wedding dresses that included exotic styles from every corner of the planet. The owner, who was a poker buddy of Blake's father, was currently away on business but let his shop be used by the three with an advance being paid for any attire purchased. That gave the blonde a little more leeway on her choice. Unlike the other shop though, there was only a makeshift couch for the two observers to sit on with a pretty basic changing room that had its mirror inside.

Instead of going for a dress like her fiancé did, Yang wanted to wear a suit since she was not really a dress person except for nights when they were on the town. While the first few suits she tried on looked alright to Weiss and Sun, it was downhill from there. Either Yang chose something that was always too small for her, giving any onlooker a nice view of her assets, or a real ugly color that was an eyesore to Weiss. While Sun was technically there to offer his view on the blonde's choices, he found that all power was held by Weiss; thus he was better off staying silent or he would incur her wrath. Normally, Yang would have just ignored the Schnee and went with what she wanted without a single care. However, Weiss seemed to know this thus she was able to use Blake's feelings as well as logic to pursued Yang against going for the worst of her decisions on her attire. This was probably the reason why Blake insisted Yang take their friend since Ruby would have caved to any choice and Sun did not know any better.

"Blake was being nice and I lied; thought it was stupid at the time but it was his and Neo's wedding so I bit my tongue," admitted the silver-haired young woman and Sun looked over at her in surprise. He was also a little hurt and wondered who else at the wedding had lied to him when they praised his orange suit.

"You lied? I thought we were friends," Sun said to the Huntress as he became hurt and offended.

"We are; as your friend, I stayed my tongue and kept silent so that you could enjoy your wedding with Neo without worrying how people thought of your attire," Weiss simply said with a shrug and using logic. She wasn't the only one who had stayed silent that day though she would never betray their confidence out loud.

"Thank….you," Sun said as he wasn't sure how to respond to that. While it might have been a compliment, he wasn't sure it was meant that way.

"You're welcome; as for you Yang, this is probably going to be the most important day in yours as well as Blake lives and you owe it to her to dress in something that not is an embarrassment to her in the least. Which is why I will be picking your next choice," said the Schnee firmly as she stood up and went over to see what the shop had to offer. She already knew Yang's measurements by heart so she knew what to look for.

Yang and Sun watched as Weiss went through the rows of suits that lined the half of the shop they were in. Ignoring the colored attire and going with something a little more traditional, she grabbed a light grey suit that was located in the back near some white wedding dresses. Looking closely at it, the Schnee saw that it was the blonde's size almost perfectly. It was also an import from Vale which she knew from the stitching; having spent many times studying when she and the rest of the ladies went shopping before Weiss had left for Atlas. Grabbing it, she walked back over to Yang and silently handed it to her. The blonde Huntress took it without question and went to try it on while the Schnee went to return to her seat. Putting it on, Yang had to admit that it fit her perfectly and was not tight around her bust at all in which she was a little regretful in it being. She then went back out of the dressing room to show herself off and got an approving look from both of the observers.

"You look great," Weiss told the blonde affectionately and even Sun gave his approval by giving a thumbs up. Looking at the price, Yang saw that it was well in her price range and went to grab her wallet from her clothes on the floor.

"I agree, it does look good on you," Qrow said as he entered the shop and gave an approving look as well. Looking at his niece, he saw the woman she had become that did not resemble his sister in the least.

"Thanks; you could have come in and helped," Yang told her Uncle since all three of them knew he was out there all along. They had improved over the years and Qrow had gotten older in the meantime.

"This is more your guys thing; though I have some bad news for Weiss here from your sister," informed the Branwen Uncle with a sympathetic look upon his face. He then handed Weiss his scroll that contained a message from her sister winter.

It seemed that someone had attacked her home.

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	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **Still trying to improve my writing though and anyone interested in becoming a beta is always free to contact me. This chapter was hard to write so please forgive any errors and issues that you may have. I am still getting use to writing fights in the RWBY universe so please critique what I have and how I can improve.**

 **Again, thanks you for continuing to follow this story!**

Ruby knew Weiss was furious.

It wasn't her expression that gave it away but the way the Schnee was currently acting at the moment.

The red-cloaked Huntress watched as Weiss moved across the sparring ground waving her blade as if she were in a real battle. The practice dummies were not only eviscerated on contact with the Myrtenaster, but even turned to ash if the blade had been using a fire dust cartridge. The speed that the Schnee was moving was almost up there with Ruby at times which was something she had learned from her older sister during the War. The difference between the two was how their semblances operated and it was easy to see where Weiss was given the glyphs she was using to move around as opposed to Ruby who left rose petals in her wake. Thus, you were more caught by surprise by the younger woman than the silver-haired one on the battlefield. Still, one could not be but impressed on how fast Weiss was moving in taking out her targets even though they were standing still.

The sparring ground they were currently at was located near the Belladonna household where Menagerie had set up their own Academy to train Hunters. In the aftermath of the War, the island nation saw a need to train their own crop of Hunters to deal with the roving bands of Grimm that plagued the island still. It had been built over the ruins of Adam Taurus's headquarters when he had tried to take over Menagerie which had led to the Faunus fighting one another in the streets. When the combined forces of Ghira and Winter pushed the red-haired swordsman off the island, the retreating Faunus had burned down his own base of operations to try and trap the two allies in order to destroy him. They had been saved by a few former White Fang who had defected at the last minute being disgusted seeing Adam use Grimm to fight for his side. The building was quite large, though only half the size of Beacon since it did not need dorms, but it did sport a rather impressive training area to deal with all types of Grimm. It also had areas where one could face upright like beings such as Human and Faunus given that Salem had used Grimm/Faunus hybrids for her forces.

Weiss had been here since the early morning after having left the residence before everyone else had gotten up. The sun was overhead by now with it approaching the afternoon and there was a slight breeze in the air. While it had been practically unheard of in the old days for a Schnee to walk around Menagerie by herself let alone walk into an all Faunus school to use their sparring grounds, Weiss was still well known for helping the race and was respected. Blake's father didn't even have to send word ahead to gain permission for the silver-haired Huntress since she was let in with no issue. By the time Ruby had arrived looking for her friend, she found Weiss in full combat mode on one of the grounds. Instead of joining the woman, the red-cloaked Huntress sat in the bleachers watching the scene in slight awe. Truthfully, she had always admired watching Weiss fight since there was a type of elegance to her style compared to the way Ruby fought. It was almost like she was constantly dancing instead of fighting and the red-cloaked Huntress could not help but be mesmerized by the whole thing.

"She's been at it for hours and has yet to take a single brake," Qrow informed her as he took a seat right next to his niece. Ruby nodded as she continued watching with a few other students that sat a few rows below them.

"Thank you for watching her while you've been here since things are still complicated between us," Ruby said to the older man in a grateful tone as Weiss leapt rather high in the air using a series of glyphs. She then stabbed at an imaginary opponent that was airborne before coming back down using more glyphs.

"Still have yet to have that heart to heart other than when you first met up?" inquired the Uncle as he took a swig of juice from his flask. Even though it had not been filled with alcohol for years, Qrow still used it to drink from.

"More or less though I was hoping that we could have had that talk with the distraction of the wedding from the investigation," answered the Huntress a little sadly even though she had to admit that Weiss's mysterious enemy had done her a favor slightly. If it weren't for the attacks, the two still wouldn't be talking.

"Well that pretty much died when whoever is behind this tried to burn down Weiss's house," Qrow pointed out somewhat sarcastically and with a chuckle. Ruby became angry at that since it was apparent that their enemy wasn't going to let Weiss enjoy any peace.

"Did Winter's people find anything?" inquired the younger woman as she struggled to compose herself. She could not help but feel Weiss's anger at having her own home attacked like that though there was a very little damage to the place in its vital parts.

"Only that the youths behind it claimed that they were paid to do a prank. The money given to them by this so called traveling salesman yielded nothing," informed the Beacon Teacher as he once again drank from his flask. He could tell from their conversation that Winter was more than frustrated by the incident since they were still no closer to who was behind all this than before.

"Well I am just happy that we convinced Weiss to stay and see reason. Even she had to see that this was an obvious ply to get her off the island and away from our protection," Ruby said and her Uncle nodded in agreement. If anything, it was looking like the enemy was getting desperate now and resorting to petty things like the fire.

"Well if she is anything like her sister, Weiss will not let this go and will charge full ahead once you guys leave Menagerie," he stated and Ruby knew that to be rather true. When Weiss put her mind on a particular goal, she pushed forward no matter what.

"She still at it?" asked Yang as she and Blake arrived onto the scene and took their seats next to the two. It looked like Weiss was not even ready to take a break much less stop for the day which was rather surprising given her supposed lesser stamina.

"Yeah; she really has to be angry since the last time we saw something like this, she was taking down an Alpha Nevermore all by herself," Blake said to the group as the memory flashed into their minds. It had been amazing to see at the time though all of them had faced Alphas that day when they attacked Salem for the first time.

"She's venting; Winter used to do the same when we were together on those missions for Jimmy back then," recalled the Uncle as he thought back to those times during the slow periods of the War. There had been few of those when Salem revealed herself to all of Remnant and The War officially began thus he was able to remember it clearly.

"Which kind of together are you talking about?" Yang asked with a smirk while her younger sister chuckled at what she just said. It was well known to all that Qrow and Winter had a rather short fling during the great conflict before having a rather nasty breakup.

"Not funny at all Blondie though you do give me an idea on how to calm her down," Qrow said as he stood up and reached for his weapon that was attached to his back as usual. He then gave the alarmed women a smirk before taking a great leap onto the sparring area.

Weiss came to a standstill as Qrow stood in front of her and was not sure how to take this.

"Quite impressive for someone who hasn't fought an actual battle in years. How about you face a real opponent instead of practice dummies," Qrow told the younger woman as he smirked at her and pulled out his weapon while changing it into its scythe form. Other than his students, it had been a while for him as well since as a teacher, he had to tone it down a bit.

"And who is that? You? Sorry, but I don't fight old drunks crying over the one he could not have because she wanted make something of her life," Weiss mocked and the older man's eyes narrowed at the insult since it did hurt just a tad. Given that she was full of rage right now, it seemed that the Schnee didn't care that her words might have gone a little too far.

"Better an old drunk with a loving family than a castoff who has daddy issues. Or maybe you have mommy issues instead?" the Uncle mocked back with his words having the desired effect of enraging her even further. While Blake and Yang were shocked about the insults thrown, Ruby could not help but be mad at the both of them.

"I am going to do what Winter could not do all those years ago," the Schnee snarled at the other Hunter has she raised her Myrtenaster and pointed right at him. She was now consumed by bloodlust and wanted nothing more than to teach Qrow a lesson he would never forget.

"What is that? Stay awake after sex?" stated Qrow with a disrespectful laugh though he knew he might have gone too far with that statement. Truthfully, that one time had been rather magical and almost made him forget how messed up he was.

Weiss went at him so fast that he barely had time to raise his weapon the parry her strike.

As she thrust her Myrtenaster at him again, he could see the fury in her eyes as he met her blade with his own. The loud clang of the two weapons coming into contact resonated all across the sparring field and more came as Weiss went at Qrow. As they fought, Qrow could see the stark differences between the two sister's fighting styles with Weiss be slightly more chaotic compared to the ordered that Winter used. Every time he expected his opponent to slash at him, she either thrust her blade in order to try and stab him or held his scythe in place in order to try to push him back. It was not only quite impressive that the smaller thin sword could hold the scythe blade in place, but that the younger woman had the upper body strength to even push back against him was something else. Pushing forward again, she caused him to be off balance and he stumbled back as she went to stab him again. To counter this, he allowed his body to fall back and did a backwards somersault to avoid her weapon.

Using a glyph, Weiss once again propelled herself forward to try and stab him again and though it was she that was suddenly caught by surprise. As she had gotten in close, Qrow had dropped and did a swipe of his leg to knock the feet out from under her. As Weiss began to fall on her butt, she placed her hand on the ground and formed a glyph that used gravity dust to suddenly shoot herself upwards into the air. She then fired off a series of blasts at the Uncle who sped along the surface to avoid being hit. Qrow fired back and his shots connected with the glyphs she brought up to act as protective shields. He was surprised to see his shots be absorbed by the glyphs and became alarmed when she suddenly smirked at him. Sensing danger, he moved just as his initial shots were reflected back at him with a mix of her own. He managed to dodge all of them and it occurred to him that he was taking too much for granted that he had expected to be simply fighting a younger version of Winter. It was now more than apparent that Weiss Schnee was a far different Huntress than her older sister.

Thinking about it as he was forced to remain on the defensive, he was starting to see that Weiss was using many different combat moves. In fact, it was almost as if she were slightly using the tactics of her other former teammates in terms of Ruby and Blake as well as Yang. When she sent blasts at Qrow, it was in the fashion of his younger niece while the little sword play was kind of like the Faunus in his opinion. Then again, the fact that she had used her surprisingly upper body strength, which had assumed was nimble at best, almost seemed like something Yang would have done. Smiling at the fact that the younger Schnee was thinking outside the box in comparison to her stiff sister, Qrow had to admire her. He also knew what to do now since he had fought each member of Team RWBY in the past couple of years when each of them had come to Beacon to be a guest lecturer; also having trained the team leader herself. If Weiss intended to use the styles of her friends, then he would use the tactics he created in order to beat her. Now smirking at her, he changed from fighting on the defensive to going on the offensive.

It was Weiss's turn to defend herself at Qrow leapt into the air in order to close the distance between the two. Swinging his scythe around like a baton, he forced her to keep her Myrtenaster up so that she could deflect his blows as well as prevent her from firing at him. As they descended onto the ground, he kept moving quickly which kept pushing her back. He also made sure not to give her any distance to escape or even use her glyphs by preventing her from even concentrating. He knew full well that the two Schnee sisters at least needed to devote some brain power in using their semblances and if he could keep all of her attention on the primary threat of his weapon, he could beat her. Granted, all he had planned to do was simply bang up her aura a little since he knew she could take it. All four of the girls had gotten though some pretty life-threatening injuries during the War so this was hardly the worse she had gone through. If everything went according to his new change in tactics, then this fight would be over soon once he was able to get in contact to her physical form; with the handle part of his weapon of course.

As for Weiss, she was starting to lose ground quickly and knew that it was only a matter of time before her aura ran out. While she had yet to actually take any physical blows from the older Hunter, the Schnee knew that once he landed a few hits it would be over. While her stamina and aura had improved greatly over the years, especially during the War, it was still not up to par with the experienced Qrow Branwen. As much as it would have been cool to defeat the man that even her sister had a weakness for by using styles she had incorporated from her friends, Weiss knew that it was time to change tactics herself. Given that he was trying to keep her from forming glyphs, she instead decided to go directly to her trump card. From what she knew from their previous conversations, Winter had never used a summon to fight the man before so now was the perfect time to do so. Weiss even had the perfect one to use though even she had to admit it was pretty sadistic for her to use. Still, it would make quite an impression on the man as well as the rest of the assembled.

Qrow knew something was up the minute Weiss's expression went from a realization of defeat to giving him a smirk. Closing her eyes while still keeping the man at bay, a large glyph formed at the back of her and he instantly recognized it. While he had only seen Winter summon once in all the years they knew each other, Qrow at least remembered what it looked like and backed off to prepare for the Schnee's signature move. Given that Weiss had slain various Grimm over the years of different types, he had no idea on what to expect. There was the chance that she might summon her Knight which was common according to his nieces but he liked to think that Weiss knew he could take that on. As something rose from the ground, Qrow was momentarily shocked by what was in front of him. It bore such a familiar face that his thoughts lingered in the past during happier times hwne it had still been a quiet peace on Remnant. The thing fully formed took a few steps forward and pointed it's cane in challenge at the Hunter with a blank expression on its face. All Qrow could do was raise his own weapon in defense as he tried to tell himself that this was only a summon and not really the person it represented.

Weiss could only smile as the Grimm/Ozpin Hybrid readied to strike.

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	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **This chapter was written in a hurry so please excuse any errors I have made though I did my best to pre-read as best I could. Please point out any you find so I can try and fix them quickly. Also, I am announcing that after this story is completed, I will be releasing a series of short stories detailing Team RWBY's adventures during the War in an effort to expand the universe of this fic. Again, a huge thank you to all those who continue to follow this story and appreciate any reviews you give!**

Salem had done some terrible things during the War.

One of those things was now directly in front of Qrow was a summon of an enemy that Weiss had defeated all by herself.

To this day, no one was sure on how Salem was able to create her Hybrids that used the templates of people Team RWBY had known in the past. Given that Salem was long gone and had taken her secrets to the Void, some mysteries were probably never going to be solved. The long term affects that the creatures had on the four women still haunted them to this day given that some of the Hybrids had been people of great importance to them. Ruby and Yang had borne the brunt of that devastation in the forms of their own mothers whom they had to fight in the darkness of Salem's palace. Weiss and Blake had been there to fight alongside them as well as offer comfort when both sisters had come crashing down emotionally when the creatures had finally been defeated. However, it also was a great motivator for the four to finally put everything they had into finally defeating the Queen of the Grimm for good though the scars of that day will always remain.

As for Qrow, he had not been there but only heard what had happened afterwards. For him, having to face the Ozpin Hybrid was already causing a stir of emotions in him. To say his relationship to the Beacon Headmaster was complicated was saying very little. In all honesty, Qrow had considered the Ancient One more of a parental figure than anyone else had been in his entire life. Ozpin had been there when Qrow's team had fell apart and was even a confidant for the deepest secrets that the Hunter had to keep from his other teammates including his own sister Raven. He had given the Hunter purpose and even divulged some of the biggest secrets to Qrow including the fact that he was a lot older than he looked. Even to this day, Ruby's and Yang's Uncle was loyal to the Headmaster and even worked under a younger version of him at the newly rebuilt Beacon Academy. While the world knew the Headmaster as Oscar, only a few knew the real truth.

"Part of me thinks this is a rather low blow for you," Qrow said to Weiss with a slight tone of anger in his voice. So far the summon, which bore the old Ozpin's face perfectly except for the Grimm parts, had yet to attack with it standing in front of Huntress; who was now sitting with her eyes closed.

The summon charged him with his cane with sudden speed that Qrow had been caught completely by surprise. The weapon slammed into Qrow's aura in the chest area, the bottom of the cane in what was a thrust attack, and sent the Hunter flying back towards the edge of the sparring area with great force. Landing on his stomach, he had to move quickly in order to dodge the next attack as the Hybrid came at him again. The way the thing moved, it almost seemed like it was the real Ozpin with the creature in the same attire though the Grimm featured face was also highly visible. Unlike past summons, it seemed that Weiss had somehow learned to make hers reflect the realism of the fallen foes. The Hunter almost had to admire the younger Schnee since it was becoming apparent that she had learned to even surpass her older sister Winter in that regard. As the cane came at him again, Qrow parried it with his scythe and tried to slash at the Hybrid. It dodged quickly and jumped back, standing there in combat stance and seemed to be letting the other Hunter make the first move.

There had been very few times in the past that Qrow had seen the old Ozpin fight; which had been back when he was a student at Beacon. The time that most stood out in his memories was when all four of Team STRQ had faced the old man in a sparring match during one of their year one classes. Their usual teacher had an emergency mission to do and there had been no subs around at the time. In their youthful cocky attitude, both Qrow and Raven had mocked the Headmaster for teaching the class and even questioned his legitimacy as a Hunter; which had been a pretty stupid move back then. Only Summer had been apprehensive at the time when all four of them had been ordered to face Ozpin in the sparring area, still getting used to her status as team leader, though she would later admit that she wanted to fight him as well. The match hadn't even lasted five minutes with the Headmaster moving so quickly that he had his cane knocking Raven out of the area before she could even react as well as depleting her aura. Qrow and Summer fell very quickly after that though Taiyang was the only one fast enough to land a blow which didn't do anything.

Moving to get his scythe into position to do a slashing strike if the summon came at him again, Qrow watched as Weiss called forth her signature knight to guard her as she continued sitting on the ground with her legs crossed. By now, she had moved to the edge of the sparring field with her back against one of the walls with the knight directly in front of her. This gave her the advantage since if even managed to get past the Hybrid, he still had to contend with the other summon in order to get to the young woman. As it stood, only by taking her out could he hope to win this match since from what he understood from Ruby, Weiss had the ability to keep summoning those she defeated into battle until her were worn out first. While the Schnee weren't exactly forthcoming on their special ability, it was known to a few that the power came from within and did not seem to be connected with their aura. They could still exhaust themselves and the summons would vanish once they were incapacitated though Yang did state that one didn't when Weiss had been hurt during a fight.

The Ozpin copy went at Qrow again though the Hunter was able to parry the strikes from the cane a bit more easily this time. The advantage that the Uncle had this time compared to what happened years ago was that his weapon had a better reach. Back then, Qrow had been using a slightly simply curved sword like Raven before building his signature weapon. Even though the cane was a surprisingly powerful weapon, its range was rather short and forced the user to get into close combat, exposing the wielder. That had been evident when Taiyang had managed to get his one hit on the Headmaster back then since the blonde was a master of close combat which had earned him the respect of the team as a whole. After parrying the cane a second time, Qrow used the other end of his scythe to slam into the Summon's side and managed to knock it back though he doubted he did any major damage. The Hybrid seemed to snarl at the Uncle and went at him again though it's speed seemed to have picked up, forcing him back on the defensive. He managed to meet each thrust with a parry but the returning strikes prevented Qrow from hitting his opponent again.

When the creature came at him again with the thrust of his cane, Qrow leaped over the head of it and swung the blade end of his scythe as quick as he could. Before the Summon could effectively block the strike, Qrow managed to pierce the left side of the Hybrid and even managed to pierce a small part of its flesh. The thing let out an painful scream and used it's other arm to try and bat the Uncle away. While it wasn't bleeding even though there was now a gape in the side of it, it was obviously in discomfort as it glared at him. Before Qrow could even smirk though, the other arm warped into a large tentacle and then took a long swipe at the Hunter in an effort to try and crush him. He leaped back just at the appendage came down hard on the ground which kicked up dust as well as debris. Moving back as quickly as he could in order to give himself some distance, the Uncle watched as the tentacle almost seemed to get even larger with the rest of the body now warping somewhat. While the face of Ozpin was still there, the Grimm part was now more than evident now and practically covering the body.

It was then that Qrow wished he had asked his nieces on how they ended up defeating the things in the first place since the knowledge would be helpful right now. Given that the fight had taken its emotional toll on all four of the girls, he had decided to let the matter be. After all, Salem had been defeated and the War was over though it would take a few more months for a true peace to be established on Remnant. Come to think of it, there was a lot that still remained unsaid from the conflict that the four women never really talked about. While he knew the details of several key moments like his sister's death or the loss of a dear friend of Team RWBY as the Second Battle of Beacon, it was the endgame that still remained unspoken to all those involved. The only thing that he did know was that in the moments after the final fall of the enemy, Blake and Yang had practically became soulmates. Ruby and Weiss's relationship had also evolved somewhat though not at the level as the other two; though only Taiyang and Qrow knew that Ruby had fallen in love with her partner that day.

However, as the thing began to stalk towards him, he was starting to see that its fighting style had changed dramatically. Instead of acting like his mentor now, it was acting like a Grimm and was even no longer using its cane to come at him. It snarled and hissed at him all the while waving both its arms that were now both tentacles, flailing wildly like a true beast. It was then that Qrow did smile since it was now more than evident that the Hybrid was acting like a true Grimm as well as giving into its bestial nature. Changing tactics and knowing he now faced a monster instead of an intelligent being, Qrow moved at the creature as fast as his older body could take him. The thing now seemed to be slower and its appendages did not have the same speed to fight him as before, thus the Uncle was able to dodge the swipes while getting in close with his weapon. Swing his scythe once he got in as close as he could, Qrow aimed for the right tentacle and managed to slice it right off with little effort. The limb fell to the ground and dissipated quickly in a lightshow, exploding into nothing. As the creature screamed in pain again, the Hunter came up with his weapon and stabbed the Summon in the chest. This time, it didn't scream but exploded in what could be described as bright white confetti.

"You'll have to do better than that," Qrow haughtily yelled at the Schnee though he was feeling worn and knew his aura was starting to be spent. As Taiyang had told him on many occasions, the Uncle was getting older with the residual effects of being an alcoholic still with him.

"I will," Weiss said loudly and there was a tone in her voice that struck an alarm in Qrow as she opened her eyes. That was when he noticed his nieces and Blake now standing with their faces full of worry as well as what could be panic.

That concern grew when he noticed that the Schnee's irises were now glowing red.

"No Weiss! You have to stop!" yelled Ruby as she leapt onto the sparring field along with her other two teammates. As they did so, another summon began to form onto the ground with it starting off as a blob of sorts.

With the other three women at his side now, Qrow was about to ask what was wrong when the Summon became formed and he recognized it instantly. While he had heard from his nieces that the final battle to defeat Salem had been a joint effort by Team RWBY with all four landing the final blow together. He supposed this was how Weiss was now able to bring forth the Queen of the Grimm as her own summon right now with the cold gaze of hatred now staring into his very soul. As all four of them now getting into combat stances though only the Uncle had his weapon, the summon suddenly vanished in a puff of light as Weiss collapsed onto the ground. Qrow was perplex until he saw that it was the Knight that had knocked the Schnee out as if it had turned on its own master. Before the Hunter could even ask what had happened, Ruby used her semblance to rush at her fallen friend while leaving a flurry of rose petals in her wake. Blake and Yang also quickly made their way to the Schnee while the Knight then dissipated.

"She good?" asked a very concerned Yang as Ruby held Weiss in her lap and was using her powers to see if she was injured. It was one of the many abilities that the younger Huntress had learned during the War as part of her silver eyes.

"Yeah, she is just exhausted and needs to sleep," Ruby answered in relief as she soothingly ran her hands through her friend's silver hair. Both the other two women sighed in relief since things could have gotten worse.

"What was that?" Qrow almost demanded to know as he ran up and stared down at the two women. He had a feeling that there was a deep story behind all of this and his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"You had no right to taunt her like that," the red-cloaked Huntress said to her Uncle with a snarl and glaring at the older man. Now only was he caught off guard by the tone, he also became surprised by the glares he was getting from the other two Huntresses.

"I was trying to help the Ice Princess blow off steam," Qrow defended and becoming annoyed on how they were defending Weiss as if she were the victim. After all, it was she that summoned both the Ozpin Hybrid and Salem.

"Call her that again, you will regret it," stated Ruby as she rose with Weiss in her arms. The tone in her voice was full of anger and rage which was something that she rarely displayed towards the man.

She then left silently to take the Schnee back to the compound.

"Did I miss something here?" asked the Uncle who was now more than confused. For the first time in a while, he wasn't sure what was going on at all and it bothered him.

"It's complicated," Yang said as she looked around and saw that the crowd of students was starting to disperse. No doubt that they were all confused as Qrow was though she hoped none of them would start asking questions.

"That is more than simply being complicated. No one told me that Weiss Schnee could summon Salem and I think that was pretty important news to share," the Beacon Teacher told the two women with his arms crossed. Even to this day, the mere mention of Salem caused people to become fearful and had to be reminded that she was gone.

"Drop it Qrow or else," threatened Blake as bother she and Yang left the man standing there with a surprised look on his face. He was so astounded by her words that he ended up processing it for a good five minutes while deciding on what he was going to do.

By the time Blake and Yang reached the compound, Ruby already had Weiss tucked into bed white sitting at her side. Leaving Yang to sit in the other chair next to the bed, the Faunus went to grab some tea from the kitchen while mentioning to her mother that Weiss was sick and needed to be at rest today. While the mother sensed something was wrong, she simply nodded and went about her business with nothing really going on today anyways. There was only one thing left to really get done for the wedding though that part was set up for an appointment tomorrow. Thus, today would be a great day off for everyone and a chance to enjoy the peace until the wedding in a few days. Blake arrived back in the room with Weiss still sleeping in the bed with Ruby now holding her hands. The Faunus handed everyone a cup including Ruby, also putting one on the table next to the bed for the Schnee once she had woken up. Weiss would definitely need it given the toll she had taken on her body today.

"She pushed herself too much and almost lost control," Ruby said suddenly in concern, breaking the silence in the room. The other two nodded and knew that something that was supposed to remain buried now needed to be talked about between the four.

After all, the things were complicated as it was without having to deal with Weiss's abilities hindering the issue.

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	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Still don't own it

 **So I am back; and I am sorry for the very long hiatus from updating this story. Due to issues dealing with family, writer's blocks, and other elements- I was unable to really do some writing for some time. While things for me are still slightly messy, I am more or less back to trying to finish this story in a timely manner so I can move onto the my next Whiterose story. Updates will try to be once a week but no more than two weeks in between. I am also still looking for an editor so contact me if you are interested. Anyways, enjoy the chapter and thank you for sticking with the fic!**

Weiss opened her eyes and found herself alone in the room.

Even in the dark, there was enough illumination coming from outside to see that there was no one else with her at the moment.

Feeling an incredible hunger coming from her stomach, the young woman decided to head to the kitchen to see if there was something to eat. As she sat up on the bed, there was a sudden pain coming from her body and she nearly cried out as it came from multiple areas. With the memory of what happened entered her mind, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised and simply rubbed her aching back as well as her other muscles. Slowly moving her legs to the left side of the bed and placing her feet on the floor, Weiss winced at a sharp discomfort that shot up her limbs. Waiting for a minute for the pain to subside, the young woman then began to slowly rise and did her best to ignore any negative feeling coming from her body. Once she was fully standing up, she took a minute to compose herself and even considered changing since she was still in the same clothing she had used to spar with that morning. However, the growling from her stomach told her that it was more important than her present attire.

She had to move slowly as her legs still felt slightly numb even though there was nothing really wrong with them. Weiss knew that she had expended a lot of her own very being in the fight with Qrow and that it would be a while before she was ready to spar with anyone. While she headed to the kitchen, she was trying to be as quiet as possible given that the house's occupants were all asleep since it was just about in the middle of the night. Once she got to the kitchen, which was rather large, Weiss walked over to the refrigerator and opened it up to see if there was anything left from dinner; finding a plate saved for her with her name on it. Pulling it out, she then moved to the microwave on the counter next to the stove and placed it in in order to heat it all up. The meal seemed to be made up of some sort of tuna dish, which was a regular thing for the Belladonna household, as well as some rice and steamed vegetables. After the food was heated up for a minute, the young woman went over to the small table with some utensils as well as a bottle of water. Weiss then sat down to eat though she instantly sensed the new presence in the room.

"I asked Blake's mom to leave you a plate since I knew you would be up at some point," Ruby said as she came into the light. Once she sat down opposite of her, Weiss got a good look at her obviously exhausted partner.

"Thank you," Weiss said in between mouthfuls and was finding it hard to say something given that she was feeling guilty on what happened. The Schnee knew full well that she was purely in the wrong this time with nothing really to argue in her favor.

"How are you feeling?" inquired the red-cloaked Huntress with obvious worry in her tone of voice. Even without the tone, Weiss could see that her friend was more than concerned about her given the look on her face.

"Tired and sore though I do admit that it is my fault," stated the Schnee as if it were fact in an effort to get it out there now. She knew that while Ruby was more than fretful for her, she also would not be surprised if she was angry as well.

"Yeah it is but I blame Uncle Qrow as well," Ruby said to Weiss with some anger seeping into her voice. While she didn't look enraged like Weiss had seen Ruby before when she got mad, she was clearly not really pleased right now.

"I think I was just so angry with him that I simply wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. I also didn't appreciate his words about my sister. It was just as much his fault that they broke up so quickly as it was hers," Weiss said to Ruby before taking a drink as the memory of Qrow's barbs came back to her. While Ruby and Yang still idolized the older man, Weiss never really liked him and could never understand why Winter connected with him in the first place.

"Well you are a dolt for letting it happen in the first place. We all agreed Weiss that you cannot ever summon Salem because it will kill you," chastised the younger woman with a mix of anger and concern in her voice. Weiss nodded and felt slightly ashamed of what she had done, sagging in her chair.

In the aftermath of the War's conclusion, the members of Team RWBY had not been in the best condition. In fact, they couldn't even walk out of the remains of Salem's castle and had to be carried out the by their surviving loved ones. After a brief stay at a field hospital that Atlas forces had set up at the front, they had been evacuated to Patch where all four of them could recuperate from their injuries. For the first month, only Yang could be able to climb out of bed and had proceeded to take care of Blake the best she could along with Kali. Though Ruby had her Uncle Qrow and Ozpin, Weiss only had Winter for a brief time before the older sister had been recalled back to Atlas to take charge of the military. Since General Ironwood had lost his life in the Final Battle and pretty much all the remaining senior officers gone, it had fallen to the elder Schnee sister to take the reins of Atlas to rebuild. By the time she had left though, Weiss had been finally able to feed herself as well as use the bathroom. Out of the four, she had been the last to be fully healed given what had happened with the fight with Salem.

It was only a few weeks after they all healed effectively that they began to spar again in an effort to get back into shape. At first, they used practice dummies and only fought for a few hours at a time given the condition of their bodies. The doctor who had paid the four daily visits, one of the best in his field and sent by Ozpin himself, made it clear that they needed to take it extra slow given that their auras were still healing along with their bodies. As much as they wanted to go out and help deal with the rogue Grimm that now ravaged the countryside, Team RWBY was still not able to take on any real opponent without putting themselves back under medical care if they survived the fight. Under the guidance of Taiyang and Qrow, they then began to use dust again and even their weapons which had been re-forged though Winter had to handle rebuilding Weiss's Myrtenaster. As they became stronger, the four would later spar against one another though they still needed to take it easy.

It was only when they got into their advanced training that the incident happened which only the four of them knew. They had been walking back to the house after getting groceries for the next few days when some lighthearted teasing began by Yang. At first, Weiss had simply ignored the barbs coming from the blonde until it was mentioned on how Ruby had been spending a lot of time in Ruby's room at night. After being offended at Yang's lewd suggestions, the Schnee quickly traded some barbs of her own. It was still not known when family got into all of it and the two began throwing insults at one another but it did lead to Yang challenging Weiss to a fight; which was accepted. After they went at one another with a few attacks, it was apparent that Yang had the upper hand given that she was at close combat than Weiss. In order to beat the blonde, the silver-haired Huntress resorted to summoning something for the first time in months though it had been hard at first. It was then that Yang said something that truly awful, which she still regretted after all this time, that caused Weiss to snap.

Whether she meant it or not, Weiss never really being sure to this day, Salem had suddenly appeared from a glyph in the ground. At first, all four had simply been dumbfounded at the sight of someone they had never hoped to see again and were even slightly frozen in fear. It was only when the Salem Summon began attacking Yang that everyone snapped out of it and Weiss tried her best to dismiss it. The Schnee had been shocked to learn that not only could she not dismiss the creature, but it was ignoring her commands and sapping her very being as it fought against the rest of her friends. When Weiss finally tried to physically intervene, the Summon then turned on her and ended up sending the Huntress into a tree. It was then that Weiss had to get with her friends in order to take down the thing before they were possibly killed. After fighting a losing battle for a few minutes, only Blake having her weapon at the time, the Schnee had to resort to the extreme to get rid of Salem. That involved her Faunus friend knocking her unconscious which caused the Summon to vanish.

In the end, they had to resort to a pretty impressive lie in order to hide what had happened. While they discussed letting Qrow know as well as Ozpin, it was decided that it was better for them to keep it all a secret just in case. After all, Salem's mark upon the world was still a pretty fresh wound the last thing they needed was for it to get out that Weiss could summon the Queen of the Grimm. It still amazed them that the Schnee could call forth Salem and they speculated on how it came to be. In the end, it was Blake who suggested that because all four of them had landed the final blow upon the real Salem, Weiss would be able to summon her like the rest of the enemies that she had vanquished in the past. While it was still never really known on how to classify Salem as a Human with Grimm tendencies or one of the creatures themselves, Ozpin still not talking about it with even Qrow not knowing, the fact that the Schnee could summon her was a game changer. While they wanted to know if Weiss could ever really control her, especially since she would be useful as a last resort, they all decided that it was too much of a risk and that she was never to do it again.

"I know and for a brief second, I stupidly thought I could control her and wipe that damn smirk off your Uncle's face. I don't know why I lost control of my emotions since I have to constantly mind them when in the same room with Jacques and Whitley," Weiss remarked as she yawned and looked over at the clock on the wall. It was just after midnight and she was glad that there wasn't much to do tomorrow.

"That was one of the reasons why I didn't want you to go back to Atlas in the first place. Your summons are more dangerous now and I was afraid that this might happen," admitted the red-cloaked huntress sheepishly and the Schnee looked over at her in surprise. Ruby didn't meet her eyes and just looked off to the side.

"You thought I would lose it in the Boardroom," accused the silver-haired Huntress with her anger starting to rise. She couldn't help but be hurt since she had not once lost control of her emotions and summoned a creature accidently.

"Yes and I am not sorry I felt that way. Things are different now even if there is now peace on Remnant. We are much different people than back in Beacon before the War," defended Ruby in a firm tone and met Weiss's angry stare. She felt that she was in the right in this case and refused to back down.

"Trust me, I am well aware that things are different now but you cannot still keep thinking that we are still at War. Yes, we are now more powerful but all there is now to deal with are random groups of Grimm to hunt like we believed when we first started out at Beacon. There's no secret group out there to destroy the peace now but just greedy people who want more power," stated Weiss as calmed down and attempted to reassure her friend. While she was still annoyed with Ruby, she supposed she did understand where the younger woman was coming from.

"One of those greedy people might be trying to kill you; this may be a different world with the peace on but there is still evil out there," the red-cloaked huntress countered gently who also was calming down. They both knew that fighting wouldn't accomplish anything at this point as well as not wanting to repeat the last time they argued.

"I am still aware of that fact since I now have to spend money fixing my house. If my opponents are as rich as I think they are, I am sending them a very large bill in whatever prison Winter sticks them in," the Schnee said with a snarl while slightly banging her hand on the table. While the damage was minimal, it was still an attack on her home.

"I can help you with that when this is all over. Maybe I can stay with you for a while and help you decorate your place a bit more," said Ruby quietly while she fidgeted in her seat and didn't meet Weiss's renewed gaze upon her. It didn't take a genius such as the Schnee to figure out where her friend was going with this.

"I suppose we were going there eventually," Weiss muttered though it was loud enough for Ruby to hear. While the other Huntress was annoyed by the words being made in that way, she wasn't surprised by them as well.

"So you are saying your feelings have changed?" asked the red-cloaked woman point blank in all seriousness. While the back of her mind was telling her that this was not a good time for all of this, Ruby was ignoring it.

"I would be lying if I said no," Weiss answered and sighed as she slouched in her chair with her head a swarm of emotions. She would rather deal with a physical attack right now than having to go through this.

"Then why are we not doing what needs to be done like Blake and Yang have?" inquired the younger woman as she leaned forward and pressed the other Huntress. This was something that had been on her mind for a very long time and she knew this conversation needed to happen no matter what.

"Because our relationship is far more complicated than theirs," responded the Schnee simply and rather firmly as well. In her point of view, what she said was the truth since their situation was far more different than their other two teammates.

"It doesn't have to be," Ruby said to the other woman in what could be regarded as an arguing tone of voice. As much as she hated to admit it, Weiss was indeed right that their relationship is far more complicated than the other couples in their circle of friends.

"Do you think I have not imagined what things would be like if we had gotten together like Blake and Yang did? There were more than enough times before I left for Atlas that I considered taking the next step; especially since we more or less cemented our connection by giving one another our virginity," Weiss told her friend with a slightly redness appearing in the back of her neck. It was something that happened just after the Final Battle with Salem during a particular night they were alone and that they had not shared it with anyone else.

"Why didn't you? I was waiting for you to make that first step," Ruby said with her voice slightly raised. It was obvious that the younger woman was getting angry about something and Weiss had a pretty good idea on what it was.

"I've made the first step on a lot of aspects during our relationship and I was waiting for you this time to make the first move," countered the silver-haired huntress with a twinge of anger rising in her voice as well. As far as she was concerned, she was the one who had to carry most of the heavy burden in their partnership whether it being the supportive shoulder for Ruby to cry on or managing the pair's finances.

"You have not; I displayed more emotion in our partnership in one day than you did in a year," accused Ruby as she remembered when they first met. Granted now that she knew Weiss's past, she could understand why her friend kept her emotions bottled up but she still refused to believe that the Schnee was the first of the two to take the leap into something more.

"In our partnership yes but it was I who made the first move that night and don't forget that it was also I who comforted you every time we lot one of our friends; especially Jaune died," Weiss reminded the other woman as she recalled how Ruby cried on her shoulder for over an hour with the Schnee just hugging her. It had just been the two of them then with the other half of their team still in Vacuo fighting off Salem's forces.

"So what are we now then? Because frankly, it's hard being your bodyguard and keeping my emotions in check at this very moment," stated Ruby in a new softer tone and she mentally calmed herself down. After today's incident, she had come to a decision that both she and Weiss needed to come clean on what they exactly were; besides just friends and partners.

"I think we are what we always were destined to become; now is just bad timing," admitted the other Huntress in all honesty. As much as she had tried to bury her feelings for the Red-Cloaked Huntress and focus more on work, it was becoming too much of a burden.

"So what do you propose? That we wait?" inquired the younger woman with a somewhat relived tone of voice. She was at least thankful that they were moving in the right direction although not as fast as she wanted; but she could be patient.

"Yes; for now as agreed back in Atlas. Let's get through Blake's and Yang's wedding as well as find out who is trying to kill me so we can be totally honest about our future," answered Weiss in a firm but affectionate tone. She then yawned as she once again felt tired though she didn't really want to go back to sleep.

"Want to help me plan the Bachelorette Party then? Blake and Yang agreed to let me since every one of Yang's ideas might get someone arrested," Ruby told the other woman and Weiss nodded as well as shrugged her shoulders. That was when her scroll buzzed with a message and Weiss's eyes widened at who the sender was.

Whitley wanted to meet.

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	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

 **I once again want to thank all those who continue to favor this story and review. I also appreciate the patience with my writing and am still looking for an editor if anyone is interested.**

"I still think this is a bad idea," Yang said as she stood by Weiss's side.

The two stood on the tarmac waiting for the transport to arrive carrying the island's newest guest. The sun was high in the sky and there was a cool breeze coming from the ocean not too far away. It was just the two of them as well as a handful of Chief Belladonna's guards on the tarmac for security. Given the guest that was about to arrive, Blake's father thought it best that the private landing pad was the best choice to prevent any incident. Surrounded by palms, it was a perfect place to keep everything on the low end. Ruby and Blake were back at where the meeting would take place preparing the room for the coming event while Qrow was not too far away acting as backup.

"This was the only way you guys would let me meet with him, remember? I was willing to have the get-together be in Mistral but you were the one who said it was a bad idea," Weiss countered sarcastically with an eye roll. Truthfully, she was apprehensive about even having this meeting let alone for the fact that it was going to be here.

When she first got the message, Weiss had shared it with the rest of the group and as expected, got a variety of mixed reactions. Yang had advised, that being a loose term, that she ignore the message and send him an expletive in reply; which even the Schnee would never do. Blake had advised caution and even suggested that not only might it be a trap, but maybe even a fake message to draw her out by their real nemesis. While Ruby had stayed silent, everyone from Qrow to Ghira gave their own opinion with even some arguing coming about. When things got a little heated, it had to be Kali as well as Taiyang to calm everyone down. Even with all the suggestions coming her way, Weiss just wasn't sure what she should do. All she was sure of was the fact that she could not ignore the message about the proposed meeting.

Of course, that was the problem itself. While Whitley wasn't as infamous as her father in Remnant, he was still well known. While some people knew that the youngest Schnee was almost a mini version of Jacques and detested him immensely, others were still on the fence and believed that his attitudes were an act until his father was dead. Weiss scoffed at that particular opinion given that she knew full well that her younger brother was a manipulative little vermin who could do real damage once he was given power over the SDC. This was one of the reasons why she had to put herself in a position of power in her father's company because someone had to keep him in check. It was partially because of her father that allowed the White Fang to have such a large impact over the Faunus which contributed to the chaos of the War and she did not want history to repeat itself with Whitley.

When Weiss announced she would meet with her brother, though she still had no idea what he was up to, everyone thought it was a bad idea. Even Ruby said that might not be a good idea though she did state that she would support whatever decision the Schnee would make. Since Weiss was adamant that she was going to meet with her brother, it had been suggested by Kali that the meeting take place on Menagerie itself. That had shocked everyone, including Weiss herself, and there had been a minute of pure silence as everyone tried to contemplate what the older woman had just recommended. While Weiss was considered more as a war hero than a Schnee and Winter seen as a defender of Menagerie, Whitley was a representation of the worst of humanity to a lot of Faunus. However, it was reluctantly agreed that having him come here to meet Weiss was a lot safer than her going to him; thus they could control the battlefield so to speak.

"I don't think you should be meeting with him at all; that man is not your family and you should just consider him another enemy. One which we weren't able to get rid of during the War," stated the blonde with a snarl as she watched the bullhead with the Schnee family crest on the side approach the tarmac. They had received word of its arrival when Ghira had been informed that the craft had entered Menagerie airspace about thirty minutes ago.

"You can't pick your Blood Yang and like it or not, he is bound to me by Blood. He is also someone I will have to deal with the rest of my life so I might as well hear him out in order to see what he is up to," Weiss said to her friend as she did everything to bury her emotions. While she was somewhat happy that this meeting was happening on her terms and somewhere more beneficial to her than back at the SDC, the apprehension was still with her.

"Of course you can and we already know his motives so there is no point to this what so ever," Yang countered with a scoff as she cracked her knuckles and readied her fists as if she were getting ready for a battle. It pretty much wasn't needed given that Ghira had sent his own guards that surrounded the tarmac with the agreement that the male Schnee was allowed very little in the way of his own security.

Whitley of course had been promised that he would be safe on Menagerie; after all, they did need a diplomatic incident to give Jacques ammunition.

"So what about your mother then? Is Raven coming to the wedding?" inquired the white-haired young woman as if to make a point. She was surprised that Yang would raise the issue of blood relatives given her own family issues.

"Ok, I get your point and I am not sure. I didn't really think about inviting her but it was Blake who sent out the invitation. I was just not sure about having her and dad in the same location, walking me down the aisle," Yang admitted with apprehension in her voice. Weiss now regretted bringing up the subject but it was too late now.

"They fought side by side during the War and they were together during the Battle of Haven. I think they should be fine for the wedding since they both know it's your day," Weiss gently argued in an effort to reassure her friend. While the exact reasons of why Raven had left Taiyang and Yang were still unknown to the Schnee, with only Ruby and Blake in the full know, the War did demonstrate that Raven did still care for the blonde woman in her own way.

"Yeah well, I think Ruby still has an issue with her given what we now know about Summer's death. Sis doesn't talk about it but I think she might still resent mother for what happened," the blonde said as the bullhead started landing. When it came to her designations to the people who raised her, Summer would always be "Mom" in Yang's eyes.

The subject of what happened to Summer Rose was always a touchy thing when the four had reminisced about the War itself. Granted, the truth came out towards the end just before the Final Battle with Salem but it still felt as if it were an open wound that just wouldn't heal. While Ruby and Yang knew that the deceased woman had died a hero and had been there in spirit during the fight with Salem, having seen her there cheering them on, it was the manner of how she died that was the issue. The fact that both Raven and Qrow had been there when she died, not even telling Taiyang the truth, left a bitter point for some time. It was especially bad that it was in some ways Raven's fault for Summer dying though one could argue that there were extraordinary circumstances involved. Ruby had never talked about it and never really showed hostility towards Raven but the younger Huntress was good at hiding her emotions at times.

Weiss never got to say anything as the bullhead landed and the side opened up a few minutes later. Weiss had dressed formally for the occasion, though she didn't really have to, and was in a purple combat dress that was fluffy on the bottom. Yang was dressed in a pair of blue pants and a yellow halter top that was covered in a brown jacket; her weapons equipped. Weiss had her Myrtenaster by her side though she didn't expect she would need it; though she was prepared just in case. Whitley appeared at the doorway and was almost dressed exactly like her father; making Weiss wonder if that was deliberate to stir her emotions. Next to him was a young woman about his age garbed in a white formal dress with green heels. She had long dark hair, was wearing silver earrings, and had dark glasses on. Her face was impassive and her complexion darker than Whitley's which made her somewhat standout as well as out of place in the attire.

"Sister, so good to see you again," Whitley said to Weiss in a polite tone as he walked down the ramp that had been brought to the bullhead by a pair of Faunus guards. His companion walked with him though it was noted by Weiss and Yang that she was a step or two behind.

"Welcome to Menagerie," greeted the Schnee sister while keeping her voice pleasant as well to keep up appearances. She felt she was now in the middle of a battle now against an opponent that was equally cunning.

"I have to admit that the pictures don't do it justice and it truly looked amazing from the air as we approached. It is admirable how the Faunus turned such a desolate place into something like this," Whitley stated as he looked around and genuinely looked as if he meant his words. While there was a small chance that her brother was being truthful, his words were a slippery as a viper.

"I'll be sure to inform Chief Belladonna that you said that," Weiss told her brother while noting the Faunus Guards seemed surprised by his words. While she was sure that more than a few of them didn't believe what he had just said, his words did seem show their approval.

"It's a shame that he could not meet us at the tarmac; it would have been an honor to meet an exceptional person such as he," stated the younger Schnee as if again he meant it. Weiss was starting to get bored with his obvious charm and turned her attention to Whitley's companion.

"I'm afraid Chief Belladonna is rather busy in preparation of the coming wedding as well as business in running the Faunus people but I will send your regards to him," the Schnee sister said to her brother in a tone that indicated that she would. While Weiss would actually convey the words under different circumstances, now was not a good time.

"I would appreciate that," said her younger brother in what could be conveyed as a grateful tone of voice.

"I am guessing this is your fiancé?" Weiss asked her brother while smiling at the younger woman and stepping forward with her hand drawn. The woman smiled back, which seemed real, and shook Weiss's hand with a soft grip.

"Yes this is my bride-to-be Alicia Bonaparte," Whitley presented as if he was showing off something valuable. When he placed his hand on her shoulder, Alicia's smile seemed to lessen though she didn't appear nervous by it either.

"Well it is a pleasure to finally meet you," stated the Schnee sister with somewhat genuine affection. Truthfully, she kind of felt sorry for Alicia given that she was marrying a snake like her brother.

"Thank you," responded Alicia in a soft voice with a forced smile and Weiss could sense the turmoil slightly in her voice. The Huntress now really felt sorry for her since it was now obvious that the Bonaparte was just a tool in a game her parents were playing.

"If you come with me, it isn't too far of a walk to where we can talk. Is your guards coming?" inquired Weiss as she noticed that her brother's escort had yet to make an appearance. She had expected them to have been by her brother and his bride by now.

"I didn't bring any. Father was adamant that I bring some security from the mainland but I felt they were unnecessary since I knew you would take care of my safety," Whitley stated with a smile and Weiss froze with obvious surprise though she kept it from showing in her face. The meaning behind the statement could be interpreted many ways in her mind and she was even more alert now.

"That was very bold of you," Yang said suspiciously, speaking up for the first time. She had kept herself under control so far, which Weiss was grateful for, but her disdain for Whitley was obvious in her mannerism.

"These are bold times we live in; which is part of the reason why I wish to speak with you. I presume you have a place set up so that we talk?" inquired the younger brother and Weiss nodded, motioning for him and his bride to follow her. While the guards moved ahead of them, Yang took a position in the back.

It took about five minutes to get to where they needed to go; which was an old meeting room that had once been used by the White Fang when they had still been active on the island. The small single story building was pretty simple looking with four walls with a single entrance; made of local wood that kind of resembled a hut. The irony had not been lost on Weiss when Chief Belladonna had suggested the room in the first place and it was also kind of funny when one thought about it. It had been abandoned left alone after the War had been concluded but everyone went to work getting it ready for this occasion. The rotten floor had been replaced and carpeted blue while the roof had been repaired. A large table had been set up in the center of the inside area with a few chairs as well as some food and drink. By the time they arrived, Ruby and Blake had everything ready to go.

"So what did you want to speak with me about?" asked Weiss politely as they all took their seats with her brother and bride directly across from her. Ruby was at her side and the guards were all outside making sure they weren't disturbed; Yang and Blake hung out in the back of the room watching as well as serve refreshments.

"Let us drop the formalities and speak plainly with one another. I imagine that you are just as tired in pretending to be civil as I am right now. I just want to say first and foremost that Father and I are not the ones trying to kill you," Whitley said plainly and leaned forward to stare at her as the words came out of his mouth. In the way he said it, one could say that it was almost believable; even to those who the younger Schnee best.

"And why should I believe you? With me gone, you and Jacques would have full control of the company," countered the older sister firmly, dropping all pretense of being polite to him. If Whitley wanted to talk simply and without show, she could do that.

"For how long? You have become quite established in the SDC and we both know that half the Board has more or less sided with you; thus they would unite against Father if something did happen to you. There is also the factor of our older sister to consider given that she clearly despises Father as well as I. If it was revealed that we were the ones behind your death, which she has the resources to clearly root out if true, then the SDC would either be nationalized or broken up with us being jailed. It is not gone unnoticed by Father and I that it is far better for you to remain alive and an obstacle then dead with our immediate destruction," stated her younger brother and what he said did make sense to everyone. It was one of the reasons why Weiss believed her brother and Jacques were not behind the attacks since it would lead to their complete destruction.

"Do you know who is behind the attacks on Weiss?" Ruby asked without emotion before Weiss could respond. When the red-cloaked Huntress spoke this way, those who knew her understood this was Ruby in leader mode.

"If I knew that, I would be here delivering him or her on a silver platter as a way to curry favor. No I do not know who is trying to kill my sister and all of my inquiries are turning up empty. If father knows, he is not sharing though I suspect he would do so," answered Whitley honestly as he looked over at Ruby. It was something he said that caught Weiss's attention though it did surprise her that both he and Jacques were also unaware of her mysterious enemy given their resources.

"Why would you offer his or her identity to me? Why is currying my favor so important?" the Schnee sister asked with obvious curiosity in her voice. She truly didn't understand why Whitley would even consider getting on her good side given their current relationship.

"At some point, Father will die and the SDC will go to me. That is a fact and it is only a matter of time before it happens. When it does, it will just be you and I at the SDC with both of us guiding the company that our Grandfather built from scratch. I have come to realize that you and I must be able to work with one another, not warring in petty battles that would get us know where. I called this meeting sister to propose a truce and forge a new chapter for our family," informed the younger sibling in what appeared to be pure sincerity. Weiss and her friends were taken aback by what he said though Alicia still kept her expression impassive.

"But you hate me and always have," argued the white-haired Huntress in stating a fact. It was hard for her to believe Whitley wanted to turn over a new leaf in their relationship just like that after all those years of bad blood.

"That was when I was young and naïve. I have grown to understand that there is much to admire about you and Winter thus my feelings have changed. While I know we can never forget the past and there will always be tension between us, I feel that once the shackles of our Father are gone we can truly start to mend the cracks in our family. When all this is done with, we should get together- all three of us siblings and even Mother," proposed Whitley and it really did seem he was sincere.

"I'll consider it," Weiss said honestly and she really was despite the warnings going off in her head. She would have to talk with Winter about it to see what she thought and if Whitley had tried to reach out to her as well.

When they retired for the night, Whitley and Alicia having left for their hotel on the mainland in the bullhead, Weiss was surprised to see Winter at her room door.

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